Halifax-area school support staff, pre-primary educators to strike Wednesday

School support staff for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education will strike at 12:01 a.m. AT Wednesday after failing to reach an agreement with the province. 

CUPE Local 5047 represents more than 1,800 workers in the HRCE.

Schools will remain open in the Halifax area — with the exception of pre-primary classes — but support workers such as educational program assistants who help students requiring one-on-one care will be on the picket lines.

The striking workers include early childhood educators, educational program assistants, assistive technology support workers, child and youth care practitioners, Mi'kmaw and Indigenous student support workers, African Nova Scotian school support workers, SchoolsPlus community outreach workers and school library specialists.

"We had an understanding there would be there be some meaningful conversations today. But sadly that didn't happen," said CUPE Local 5047 president Chris Melanson.

He said the workers are not receiving enough support from the province. 

"They're tired of making decisions of whether they should be putting food in the cupboard, in the fridge or paying for power. They're struggling to make ends meet."

In a Tuesday new release, Melanson said that CUPE is "very disappointed. We came back to the bargaining table today with a strong mandate from our members, hoping that government would be prepared to negotiate, but there was no willingness whatsoever."

"It's clear that government is not prepared to give our members the respect they deserve, and at this point, we have no choice but to withdraw our services."

Only CUPE members in the Halifax area will go on strike. Over the weekend, they voted to reject a tentative agreement that had been reached by the province and their union last month.

Other CUPE locals in other parts of the province representing school support workers have voted to accept the agreements. 

In a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon Labour Relations Minister Allan MacMaster criticized the decision to strike.

"We believe the offer that was presented, and ratified by all other locals, is fair to employees and taxpayers, and in the best interests of students and families," he said.

"It is unfortunate that CUPE is casting blame on the government for this strike given the tentative agreement was reached through fair collective bargaining. This means the agreement was accepted by the union executive and recommended to their membership for ratification."