Edmonton Public Schools kicked off Reading Week yesterday, but union leaders are raising concerns that could lead to mass closures.
Support workers, including more than 4,000 educational assistants, librarians, and custodians, may vote to strike as early as next week.
Rory Gill, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), stated that many of these workers have not received a raise in five years, and the increase they received prior was inadequate.
The board chair of Edmonton Public Schools declined to discuss the implications of a potential strike by support workers, but acknowledged that schools would face significant challenges without them.
On average, an educational assistant earns about $26,000 a year, while the union is advocating for salaries to be increased to $40,000 annually.
Given the high inflation rates, the Alberta Living Wage Network indicates that the current living wage in Edmonton is $22.25 an hour, equivalent to $45,000 a year for full-time work.
