Some Windsor-Essex groups impacted by school support staff job action

CTV Windsor: School job action impact Community use of some Windsor-Essex schools is suspended due to job action by support staff. Bob Bellacicco explains.

WINDSOR -- A work-to-rule job action by support staff in some Windsor-Essex schools is having an impact on several community groups.

CUPE, the union representing 55,000 custodians, clerical workers and early childhood educators, says workers will stop working overtime and performing extra duties in a bid to pressure the provincial government into making concessions in contract negotiations.

The president of CUPE Local 1358 in Windsor-Essex, Darlene Sawchuk, says her members are concerned about the future of education.

"They are ready to take on this fight. It's certainly not with our board. It's with the province," says Sawchuk. "We really, really need to change the way our services are delivered. We can't keep cutting and expect that kids are getting what they need."

The Greater Essex County District School Board says as a result of the job action, the board is pausing all community use of school permits, effective Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, until further notice.

The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board says in a statement "we remain focused on providing a safe environment for all of our students and are committed to ensuring that they are properly cared for and are receiving the education to which they are entitled."

Officials at the Conseil Scolaire Catholique Providence tell CTV News they are committed to the safety and well-being of students and measures are in place to meet that standard.

Shawn Lippert runs the Windsor Adult Volleyball League, which has more than 2,000 players and 189 teams.

He was notified Friday by the Catholic French School Board he would not have access to their gyms starting Monday and he won't have access to public school gyms starting Tuesday.

“We still have the Catholic board gymnasiums, so we took everybody that was in our schedule and adjusted it,” says Lippert, who adds they will use city facilities to make up for the loss of 21 gyms.

There are other groups affected by the work to rule campaign, like Girl Guides, Pathfinders and the 35th Tecumseh Scouts, who meet Tuesday's at Ecole Sainte-Margaret D'youville.

“For this week we have determined we're going to do an outdoor activity,” says Andrew Dowie. We can do that because it's beautiful weather. However, November coming up, that's not going to be an option.”

The Ward 9 meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1 at Roseland Public School has also been postponed due to the job action.

Information and community updates will be posted on the board’s webpage, and on the board’s social media platforms.