Halifax school support staff to strike Wednesday after talks breakdown
CTV
Support staff at Halifax-area schools are set to walk off the job Wednesday.
Support staff at Halifax-area schools are set to walk off the job Wednesday.
Schools in Halifax will still be open but the strike means pre-primary classes are cancelled.
Some students who have special needs and rely on education program assistants may also be unable to go to school. A parent previously told CTV News this week she was informed her daughter who is on the autism spectrum and is non-verbal would not be allowed to attend school during a strike.
On Tuesday afternoon, a Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) spokesperson told CTV News approximately 600 students will be provided with at-home learning opportunities, as their medical, personal and safety care needs exceed what can be provided in-person, while CUPE members are engaged in job action.
The strike comes after CUPE Local 5047 members rejected a tentative agreement over the weekend that had previously been negotiated with the government.
The two returned to the bargaining table Tuesday but couldn’t come to an agreement.
The union represents more than 1,800 education workers in Halifax,including assistive technology support workers, child and youth care practitioners, Mi’kmaq and Indigenous student support workers, African Nova Scotian school support workers, Schools Plus community outreach workers, educational program assistants and early childhood educators and school library specialists.
