Support staff with the Foothills School Division (FSD) will soon be going on strike.
CUPE Local 5040, which represents around 300 support staff at FSD, served the division with a 72-hour strike notice on Thursday (Feb. 20) evening.
This comes just over a week after they voted in favour of job action.
They aren't the only union local to do so recently, with CUPE Local 570 having served the Black Gold School Division with a notice on the same day, and locals 40 and 520 serving strike notices to the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District on Feb. 19.
According to CUPE Alberta, 4,000 education support workers are already on strike, with close to 2,000 now set to join them after these recent notices.
The workers from 5040 are set to start their strike on Monday, Feb. 24.
The strike is expected to impact all FSD schools, with initial pickets to take place near the Foothills Composite, Highwood High, and Oilfields School at 6 a.m.
FSD's response
FSD sent a later to regarding the strike notice to the school community on Thursday evening.
"Foothills School Division is committed to proceeding with the meeting to reach a collective agreement that aligns with both Division and provincial constraints while also acknowledging the value of our team members."
The division's letter includes a list of roles that will be participating in the strike:
- Career and Technology Instructors (non-teachers)
- Data Facilitators
- Educational Assistant
- Learning Commons Facilitators
- Office Administrators
- Secretaries
- Youth Development Coaches
Schools will remain open during the job action, and FSD is implementing a contingency plan.
Buses will continue to run as usual, with attendance tracking to continue its regular function.
They have also set up accommodations with students who require individual support, with some students being allowed to work from home.
A bargaining meeting was already scheduled for Feb. 21, and FSD says it is "committed to meeting with the CUPE Local 5040 negotiating team to continue bargaining and to come to an equitable resolution within provincial parameters."
The division posts regular labour relations updates on its website.