No more language classes? How CUPE work-to-rule affects York Region

5 changes following talks breaking off between CUPE, Ministry of Education

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 1, 2019
Dina Al-Shibeeb

Elementary school office staff members will not be operating the front door buzzers starting Sept. 30. This is why York Region District School Board says, "Student safety is our primary focus."

It's part of "Phase 1" of CUPE’s work-rule-campaign taking effect after the union decided to end talks with the Ministry of Education over the weekend.

Beginning on Sept. 30, families may notice specific withdrawal of services by CUPE employees, including not handling money, not sweeping hallways or entrances, not cutting grass or cleaning up leaves, and not volunteering for unpaid activities.

So far, YRDSB is trying its best to "minimize" these effects.

CUPE represents 55,000 education support workers provincewide and 3,200 in York Region.

Here are five immediate changes caused by the work-to-rule campaign:

1. No more languages

Elementary international and Indigenous languages classes for SK to Grade 8 students are cancelled effective Oct. 1 until further notice.

YRDSB promised on its website that it will provide updates as it receives more information.

2. No community programs

Community groups that use school spaces during off hours, such as Scouts and sports clubs, will not be able to use the schools.

3. No more weekend or night classes

Community use permit cancellations means there will be no weekend or night classes.

4. Deploying centrally assigned principals

There are about 20 principals in York Region District School Board who are centrally assigned, and starting Sept. 30, they won’t be attending any meetings or receiving any additional professional training, as they will be helping with supervision and bus duty in other schools that need more support.

5. No more training, meetings

There will be no vice-president education training. Also, the cancellation of internal meetings will allow all other principals to focus on their own schools amid the first phase of CUPE’s strike.

"At the local board level, we continue to bargain with all our employee groups, including CUPE," YRDSB said.

"We are hoping for early resolution."

To stay updated on the effects of the job action, you can check YRDSB's website: http://www.yrdsb.ca/schools/Repository/NewsEvents/Pages/BoardNews/Bargaining-Update-.aspx.