After resuming negotiations last week, CUPE Local 5040 and the Foothills School Division (FSD) have come to an agreement.
A tentative deal was reached on August 22, ratified by union members on August 27, and is to be ratified by the division's Board of Trustees on Wednesday, September 4.
The agreement came following four years of negotiation and not long before the contract's August 31 expiration.
The union branch, which represents education workers within FSD, has been calling for an increase in pay, improvements to training, and other supports for workers.
The division agreed to an eight per cent pay raise for education assistants, with other support staff to receive 2.75 per cent raise, which has been mandated by the provincial government.
President of CUPE Local 5040, Lesley Cole, describes the agreement as a small but promising step, which she hopes is the first of many.
It's especially significant, says Cole, considering that these negotiations began in 2020. It was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and at one point involved a government-appointed mediator, which still didn't result in a resolution.
In a written statement, FSD said the agreement is a major milestone in fostering a supportive environment for everyone in the school community.
"The work performed by the paraprofessionals represented by CUPE 5040 in Foothills School Division is crucial to the success of our students and the broader school community. Their efforts play a vital role in supporting student achievement and ensuring that families receive the quality education and care they deserve. The Foothills School Division deeply values their contributions and recognizes the positive impact they have on our students' growth and success," the statement partially reads.
Following the August 31 expiration date, negotiations will start back up sometime in September.
Cole is hoping the latest agreement will signal a smoother negotiation process moving forward, and efforts from CUPE Alberta and its other branches convey a message to the provincial government.
"The government are the ones that are putting the block on a lot of the things that we are asking for... The Foothills School Division has to, essentially, get permission to agree to anything that we propose, and that's a big block a lot of the time."
Cole says the upcoming round of bargaining will see rigorous coordination from many union branches.
"There's a lot more work for us to do and we're determined to get better everything for our members. It's been a very long time coming and our members deserve a lot more, from the government especially... We're hopeful and quite optimistic that this next round of bargaining will bring a few more positives to the table and hopefully, the government will wake up and listen that the schools need the funding because, essentially, it's the children that are going without and suffering because there are things that we need to be putting in schools, and it's just not there. We need the support in schools in all areas, for sure."
CUPE Local 5040 regularly shares updates on its Facebook page.