School Board Release Plans If CUPE Strikes Monday

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 517 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

CUPE members walk the line on Friday November 4th, 2022.

Local school boards have re;eased their plans if CUPE members go on strike Monday.

On Thursday, the provincial leadership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees  provided notice to the Ontario government that they intend to go on strike (full withdrawal of services) beginning Monday, November 21 if a collective agreement cannot be reached by then.

Public School Board:

All  schools will be open for in-person learning, as scheduled, on Monday, November 21st and Tuesday, November 22nd.

In the GECDSB, CUPE represents secretaries, clerks, custodians, maintenance staff, Information Technology technicians, couriers and media services.

Student transportation will operate, as usual. All child care centres in our schools will remain open, unless clients are notified otherwise by individual operators. All after-school programs including sports, will be cancelled – with some exceptions. Exceptions will be communicated on a school-by-school basis.

If the strike continues after Tuesday, November 22nd students will be given work that can be completed at home (asynchronously) on Wednesday, November 23rd and Thursday, November 24th. Classes will then switch to interactive, teacher-led remote learning (synchronous) on Friday, November 25th.

EarlyOn, centres and third-party child care centres will remain open, unless notified otherwise by individual operators. Before and After school care, YMCA and kids’ clubs will not operate if the switch is made to remote learning on Wednesday, November 23rd.

If students require technology/devices to participate in online learning they must contact their school administrator(s) and the request will be submitted.

Students who attend GAINS and STEPS programming will remain in in-person learning during the strike. GAINS/STEPS students will continue to have access to transportation to and from school.

Pelee Island school will remain open during CUPE labour action.

Catholic School Board:

CUPE represents about 500 employees of the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board including Educational Assistants (EAs), Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs), Child and Youth Workers (CYWs) and other paraprofessionals such as Psychologists, Sign Language Interpreters and Psychotherapists.

 The board plans to keep schools open for as many students as possible, so in order to continue in-person learning, and in the interest of health and safety for staff and students, we have developed contingency plans to do that. 

 Any students who are not in JK/SK programs, do not have complex learning needs, and have not been contacted by their school will be expected to attend school in person according to their regular schedule. Here is how we intend to continue operating regarding all those students who will be directly impacted in the event of a strike.

Childcare centers that currently operate in our schools will remain open.