Some CUPE members are returning to work soon, but not quite all of them.
CUPE announced that some deals have been made, which could lead to the end of the province-wide strike of education workers.
Currently, CUPE Local 3550 in Edmonton, CUPE 2545 in Fort McMurray, as well as CUPE 2559 in Fort McMurray, which is for their Catholic Schools, have made a deal.
These deals still need to be ratified with the CUPE members, but it would end the strikes at those three school districts.
There are about 3,000 CUPE members on strike in Edmonton since January 13, while the 1,000 members on strike in Fort McMurray have been on strike since mid-November.
While those three locals have struck a deal, the 2,600 CUPE support workers on strike in Calgary, Sturgeon, Parkland, Foothills, and Black Gold school divisions are remaining on strike, but they will be heading to the negotiating tables soon.
"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," explained the CUPE Alberta President, Rory Gill, in a media release. "Their fortitude, their determination, and their solidarity won the day."
He added that education support workers are critical to the school system, and these three deals have shown that they have won the respect they deserve.
CUPE won't be releasing the full details of the settlement until after the members have had a chance to look at it, but Gill says the three deals have wage agreements higher than what the original wage mandates imposed by the provincial government were, and all three agreements have an ending period of August 2028.
The CUPE members in Fort McMurray are voting today, and if the proposal is ratified, they will be back to work this Wednesday, while the CUPE members in Edmonton will ratify their proposal by the end of the day Tuesday, and will return to work either Wednesday or Thursday.
In Okotoks, CUPE Local 5040 will begin their bargaining on March 24.
To stay up to date, check out the Foothills School Division website.