Ontario is proposing to give education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees who make less than $40,000 a two per cent raise per year.
For workers who earn over that amount, the government proposes giving them raises of 1.25 per cent each year of a four-year deal.
CUPE which represents 55,000 workers including early childhood educators, school administration workers, bus drivers and custodians has published the government’s first offer to them in contract negotiations.
Belleville’s Laura Walton, who is the president of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions says the two per cent figure works out to about $800 per year and simply isn’t enough.
Walton says a percentage increase is not something their membership wants and they will continue to push for a flat rate increase.
Walton also says there are “concerning concessions” in the offer.
Deals for the five major education unions expire August 31 and the terms of the first deal struck in a round of bargaining often set the standard for the rest.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says in a statement that the government’s proposal is reasonable, fair and provides stability.
With files from the Canadian Press
