(Port Hastings) The clock has begun ticking toward a possible strike by more than 460 school board workers at the Strait Regional School Board.
A provincial conciliator filed his report yesterday (Tuesday, January 15), which means CUPE Local 955 can give notice to strike in 14 days or January 29th. The union must then give 48 hours notice of its intention to strike.
Local 955 represents 466 school board workers, including bus drivers, janitors, maintenance, secretarial, student program assistants, library technicians and more.
The main issues in dispute are wages and vacation provisions. Both sides will be returning to the bargaining table on January 23 for one last attempt at negotiating a settlement. The school board workers recently rejected a so-called final offer from the board.
The Strait Regional School Board covers the area from Antigonish through to Cheticamp on the west side of Cape Breton.
For information:
Patrick Leblanc, President, CUPE Local 955
(902) 224-3043 (h)
Kathy MacLeod, CUPE National Rep.
(902) 752-2244 (o)
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Rep.
(902) 455-4180 (o)