Fort McMurray education workers ratify tentative deal, expected back at school Wednesday

The deal reached between two Fort McMurray school districts and the union representing striking education support workers was ratified by unionized members on Monday night.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) says members at Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic voted to ratify the collective agreements

The 1,000 education support workers in the northeast Alberta city, who have been on strike since mid-November, are expected back in the classroom on Wednesday.

The specific details of the settlements have not been made public, but the union says they include pay increases and are valid through August 2028.

“Teachers are hopeful that the settlement of the Fort McMurray agreements, along with the tentative deals reached in other jurisdictions, will prompt immediate action by remaining school boards to settle with their striking employees,” Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said in a statement Tuesday.

“The government’s interference in collective bargaining, together with its unwillingness to properly fund public education, led to this strike and delayed its resolution. This was entirely avoidable.

“These agreements, achieved through the sacrifice of workers in CUPE locals 2545 and 2559 over the last four months, will finally lift the heavy burden this labour action has placed on support workers, students and teachers, allowing a return to normalcy.”

A tentative deal was also reached with 3,000 education support workers at Edmonton Public School Board, who have been on strike since mid-January.

Those new contracts do not cover the thousands also on strike from the Calgary, Sturgeon, Parkland, Foothills and Black Gold school divisions.