Union representing support staff leaves bargaining table, says Edmonton school board

The public school board employing thousands of striking school support workers says the union representing them has left the bargaining table.

Some 3,000 staff, from educational assistants to cafeteria workers, have been on picket lines since Jan. 13 over a wage dispute with the Edmonton Public School Board.

Superintendent Darrel Robertson says the division and union are far apart and that the union is focusing on raises that “far exceed the division’s ability to pay.”

He says the division has offered raises of 13.5 per cent spread over eight years, removing steps from the salary grid to accelerate wage progression and more training opportunities that would pay workers a premium.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees has said the average education support worker in Alberta makes $34,500 per year, while educational assistants make $26,400 per year.

Union leaders say the job action is poised to grow as chapters across the province hold strike votes over the coming days.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2025.