OKANAGAN-Education workers in the Okanagan will not be going on strike. CUPE Local 523 and the employers of School District 53 (Okanagan Similkameen), School District 67(Okanagan Skaha), and School District 83(North Okanagan Shuswap) reached a tentative agreement last night.

“It was a tough round of bargaining, but ultimately both sides put their heads together to come up with a compromise avoiding further job action,” said CUPE Local 523 Bargaining Committee spokesperson Rob Hewitt.

For the second day in a row, education workers in the Kootenay Lake School District rallied for a fair and reasonable contract.

OKANAGAN-72 hour strike notice has been served by CUPE Local 523 representing education workers of three Okanagan school districts. The potential job action would occur in School District 53 (Okanagan Similkameen), School District 67(Okanagan Skaha), and School District 83(North Okanagan Shuswap).

The CUPE Local 523 Bargaining Committee is frustrated that the employer group demanded a concession to claw back long term disability savings. The three school districts bargain together and have a single collective agreement with the approximately 1150 members of CUPE Local 523.

CRESTON–Dozens of education workers represented by CUPE Local 748 rallied today for a fair deal for Kootenay Schools.

School District #8 (Kootenay Lake) trustees have refused to adopt a budget plan for implementing the provincial framework agreement achieved with the BC Public School Employers’ Association in October.

KOOTENAY LAKE-Members of CUPE Local 748, education workers of School District 8 (Kootenay Lake) voted to reaffirm their strike mandate over the weekend. 100% of members voting decided that job action is necessary if an agreement with the school district is not achieved.

BURNABY- Five CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council Locals have now ratified agreements with BC school districts: Local 379 with SD 41 (Burnaby), Local 476 with SD 47 (Powell River), Local 1260 with SD 35 (Langley), Local 2098 with SD 51 (Boundary), and Local 4991 with SD 57 (Prince George).

CUPE Local 379 education workers in Burnaby were the latest to vote to ratify an agreement over the long weekend.

POWELL RIVER—Education worker members of CUPE Local 476 have voted to ratify a collective agreement with School District 47 (Powell River). The 153 members include education assistants, clerical staff, trades, custodians, and bus drivers. 

BURNABY—As CUPE’s K-12 Locals in BC begin concluding collective bargaining with school districts, the need for increased funding for public education from the BC Liberal government is becoming even clearer, CUPE BC President Mark Hancock said today.

“Tight budgets at the school district level point to a need for funding adjustments at the provincial level,” said Hancock. “While CUPE Locals continue to work with school boards to make sure learning opportunities for all students are protected, the system is hundreds of millions of dollars behind where it was ten years ago.”

BURNABY-CUPE Locals have begun reaching settlements with BC school boards. CUPE Local 476 in Powell River and Local 1260 in Langley concluded bargaining late last week.

In the coming weeks of bargaining, CUPE Locals hope to work with school boards to ensure services for all BC students are not adversely affected, and stand together with trustees in calling on the provincial government to invest in public education. 

RICHMOND, BC—The Canadian Union of Public Employees has reached a tentative Provincial Framework Agreement with the BC Public Schools Employers’ Association (BCPSEA). The Framework Agreement was unanimously endorsed by the CUPE BC K-12 Provincial Bargaining Sub-Committee and will be recommended to the CUPE BC K-12 Presidents’ Council for endorsement.

Each CUPE union local will then take this provincial agreement to their respective tables with school districts to conclude collective bargaining.