CUPE LOCAL 3550 SERVES STRIKE NOTICE

CUPE Local 3550 has served the Edmonton Public School Board strike notice on behalf of 3,000 educational support staff. CUPE Local 3550 represents a wide range of support staff who work directly with students and in schools and central departments. The support staff can and likely will strike and establish picket lines as soon as Monday.

CUPE 3550 president Mandy Lamoureaux said some support staff have gone 10 years without a cost-of-living wage. According to CUPE, the average educational support worker in Alberta earns $34,500 per year.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said The work of educational assistants is important, but only takes place part-time and only during the school year. No one would expect to earn a full-time salary for 10 months of part-time work,”