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Wadena: Education workers in the Wadena School Division resumed job action today.

Yesterday, 9 CUPE teaching associates in Quill Lake and Rose Valley were told they would not be recalled to their positions in September. According to director of education John Treso, the division plans to replace them with 2 special education teachers and a .5 teaching position.

13 special needs children and 41 additional assistance children are going to be affected by this decision. Many of these students require 1 on 1 assistance. Does the Wadena school division honestly think it is physically possible for 2.5 individuals to do the work of 9?

CUPE teaching associates and other school support workers in the division began rotating job action on April 9 to pressure the employer to drop its demands for reduced seniority rights and other concessions.

The school secretaries, caretakers, teacher associates, library assistants and other support staff have spent a total of 10 days on the picket line outside the school division office in Wadena.

The strike affects schools in Kelvington, Rose Valley, Quill Lake, Archerwill, Wadena, Lintlaw and the Quill Lake Hutterite Colony.

The support workers collective agreement expired on December 31, 2000.

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For more information contact:
Sharon Lockwood at 338-3121 or 382-8262 ext 28.