School support worker strike enters second week
Posted May 17, 2023 11:56:20 AM.
Last Updated May 17, 2023 11:57:18 AM.
Job action by school support staff in the Halifax area has entered a second week, with no apparent end in sight.
CUPE Local 5047 president Chris Melanson told CityNews on Wednesday that negotiations had not resumed with the employer.
“We’re more than willing to continue conversations,” Melanson said. “Government does not seem to want to come back to the table and discuss the issues.”
Striking support staff have pointed to wages as the sticking point in negotiations. The tentative agreement, accepted by some locals but rejected by Halifax-area staff, offered workers a 6.5 per cent raise over three years.
“We’re living in the HRM, we’re working for HRCE, and the members’ cost of living is higher here,” Melanson said. “That’s exactly why they couldn’t accept this contract.”
The stalled negotiations come as the Halifax Regional Centre for Education moves to hire temporary workers, according to Melanson. CityNews has reached out to the school board for comment.
The strike has had a significant impact on many families, with some students who require the support of striking staff being told not to come to school.
