QUEEN’S PARK – Mike Schreiner, released the following statement in response to news that CUPE has filed a five-day notice to go back on strike.
“The government is turning its back on parents, students, and education workers by not listening to what students need from education workers.
CUPE’s demands on much-needed services is what parents and students, especially those with special needs, have been asking for.
These education workers do extraordinary work under difficult conditions. And they are struggling to provide quality education faced with shortages of educational assistants, childhood educators, custodians, secretaries and other staff.
This negotiation is about the students who have already suffered significant learning disruptions during the pandemic. The government is failing to help them get back on their feet.
The Premier and Minister Lecce need to stop stalling, bargain in good faith and clean up the mess they created by failing to make the investments students need to thrive.
I call on the government to reach a satisfactory agreement through a fair bargaining process and more investments in our education system.
The government must act now to ensure our kids have open, safe, clean and stable schools where they can receive the education they need.”