Absolutely amazing news! After bargaining on Friday was held over into Saturday, a settlement was reached for Education Workers in the 3 bargaining units Edmonton Public, Fort McMurray Public, and Fort McMurray Catholic schools! Education workers in Fort McMurray have been on strike for 5 months, and in Edmonton for over 2 months, holding the picket lines in some of the worst freezing cold that Alberta has to offer!
CUPE president Rory Gil reflects my feelings for our education workers the best:
“I’m in awe of the workers in Edmonton and Fort McMurray who stood their ground, in weather as cold as minus 51 degrees, to win a fair contract,” said Gill. “Their fortitude, their determination, and their solidarity won the day.”
“Education support workers are critical to our school system, and today they finally won the respect they deserve,” said Gill.
Education workers in Edmonton are expected to return to work on Wednesday or Thursday, after the settlement is ratified by CUPE members on Monday or Tuesday. No details will be shared until the members have had a chance to see them, but I'm sure if the bargaining team is satiated then the members will be too!
This fight should never have been needed, as having enough respect for our most important educational workers, who support all of our children, to give them a living wage should never be in question.
Yet here we are, in a fight against Capitalist interests who see human beings as a worthless commodity, and the government who seeks to cut and slash public services to privatize them and hand them over to these same profiteering interests.
These job actions have not ended. Education workers in Calgary and Parkland county have more recently joined the strike lines and have not yet reached a settlement. Strikes and labour actions are striking up all across the country, as we have reached the point of end-stage capitalism and they have taken far too much from us for far too long. This profiteering and hoarding of wealth by the few is not sustainable for the many who are struggling and unable to live. This exploitation must come to an end, and it will not end without COLLECTIVE ACTION!
In solidarity.
https://alberta.cupe.ca/2025/03/15/deals-reached-in-three-education-strikes/
