About 130 education workers represented by CUPE Local 4681-02 at the Northeastern Catholic District School Board are negotiating their first collective agreement. The group includes registered early childhood educators, regulated health workers, paraprofessionals and lunch monitors. Employees gathered in front of their employer’s office on Balsam Street North in Timmins, Ont., after months of negotiations. The union said the rally comes after the Ministry of Labour issued a no-board report last Wednesday, starting a 17-day countdown that could lead to a legal strike or lockout position. The union said the school board has tabled concessions that include reductions to benefits and vacation time, as well as cuts to WSIB top-up provisions. Members have voted 95 per cent in favour of strike action. CUPE Local 4681 and 4681-02 President Sue Cyr said she doesn’t understand why the board is offering concessions during a crisis. “It’s going to impact these workers at a time when our schools are already struggling at recruiting and retaining qualified employees,” said Cyr. “(Workers) want to remain at work, working with these students that they’ve developed relationships with. They want the board to come back and negotiate a fair first collective agreement without concessions,” said Cyr. The Northeastern Catholic District School Board said, in a news release, it remains committed to reaching a fair local agreement and denied threatening a lockout – adding it requested a no-board report to support mediation efforts. School board officials also say they remain optimistic that a resolution can be reached.
