CUPE Local 561 president Dave Ginter says this is the worst year for job cuts in a long time as 51 CUPE members face layoffs so School District 43 can balance its 2013/'14 budget.
Morale is plummeting, he said, as "bumping" begins, in which workers with seniority can "bump" newer workers. "There's a lot of anxiety," Ginter said. "People are worried if they are going to be able to keep their job."
He's also concerned that the job cuts are coming as the district deals with more vulnerable and at risk students than ever before.
The layoffs are also taking place as approximately 1,500 CUPE 561 members who work in SD43 schools take a strike vote in response to what the union is calling a lack of progress at the bargaining table. They are among 27,000 CUPE education workers taking strike votes across the province.
POSSIBLE SEPTEMBER JOB ACTION
Ginter said he expected to inform School District 43 today, Tuesday that a strike vote would be taken by the end of June. If it's approved, CUPE education workers would have 90 days to consider holding job action, stretching into September, when school resumes after the summer break.
"There is nothing happening at the provincial and nothing at local tables," Ginter said, "Now we're escalating it."
In all, SD43 is expected to cut 142 positions this year, about 6% of its staff, and is cutting $12.5 million from its budget next year to balance it.
