Barring a last minute deal with the province this weekend unionized school support workers across the province will begin a work to rule campaign on Monday.
55,000 workers would be involved province wide, as negations continue on a new contract, with sticking points including wages, benefits, sick leave and others.
Their current contract ended at the end of August and negotiations at the central table have been ongoing since the start of the school year.
CUPE Local 1022 President Jo-Ann White says the job action will affect 700 employees within the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.
White says the union will begin talks around smaller “housekeeping matters” with the local school boards once a deal at the upper tier of bargaining is finalized.
She says, if a deal isn’t reached this weekend, unionized staff will still be at work, but will be sticking to their core responsibilities come Monday.
White says provincial cuts to education have made bargaining extremely difficult and should they not reach a deal this weekend, there’s no word on when they’d be back at the table to continue discussions.
Both CUPE and the school board say, even with work to rule underway, the health and safety of students is paramount.
