The CUPE local 3766 union has voted 95% in favour of job action after talks with the Regina Public School Division have come to a halt.
The union that represents education support workers says they have been without a contract for three years, with negotiating for the last two.
President of CUPE local 3766 Jackie Christianson said they keep schools together.
“The student needs supports vary between student to student,” Christianson said. “We also have admin assistants, library assistants, braillists, interpreters. You name it, we do it. And what’s important is that we fill the gap.”
Christianson said money is a big issue at the bargaining table.
“We’ve been without a contract for three years, four years since we had our last raise, other CUPE support locals have ratified their collective agreements in March, April, and May, and they have all been offered way more than us.”
Christianson said there’s a lack of respect for educational support workers.
“We work with the kids, we fill in the gaps, we don’t do this job for fame and glory because there is no fame and glory,” Christianson said. “We work hard with less supports, we’re faced with more intensive needs kids, asking to to do more, and we’re not even offered the same as our colleagues across the province.”
Regina Public School Division also gave their trustees a 22.7% raise, something Christianson said there should be enough for those who work to keep classrooms together.
