BURLINGTON, ON – Early Learning Professionals at the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) voted unanimously yesterday to join Local 5200 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
“We welcome the ECEs into our growing CUPE family and our new members will have full access to resources and services that CUPE members enjoy,” said Tracey Newman, president of CUPE 5200, which represents 500 HCDSB educational assistants (EAs).
The 30 Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) are part of the newly introduced Early Learning Program (ELP) that is being rolled out in schools across Ontario. CUPE advocated for ECEs and lobbied governments to recognize the importance of early learning professionals in the success of children’s development.
CUPE also led the critical bargaining process with the provincial government that paved the way for the Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) agreements between the province, school boards and the unions that represent the bulk of Ontario’s school board employees.
In recent weeks 600 ECEs across Ontario, including in neighbouring Hamilton Wentworth Catholic District School Board, voted to join CUPE to represent their professional interests. CUPE will now enter talks with school boards to ensure that the ECEs have the same rights and benefits as other school board workers.
“We will work hard to ensure that our new ECE members are introduced seamlessly into the school board system”, continued Newman. “The success of our students and the Early Learning Program depends on the expertise of ECEs that we now proudly represent.”
CUPE is Canada’s largest union, with over 600,000 members in different sectors, including schools, health care, universities, municipalities, social services, transportation and other sectors. In Ontario, CUPE represents over 45,000 school board employees.
For more information, please contact:
Tracey Newman
President of CUPE 5200
905-749-2873
Debbie Oldfield
CUPE National Representative
416-292-3999
James Chai
CUPE Communications
416-292-3999