CUPE 4865 and the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) strongly condemn the Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario’s decision to move ahead with staffing cuts despite ongoing concerns about workload pressures and the impact on frontline education workers.
The Board recently notified the Local that it plans to eliminate five Secondary School Secretary positions, by converting existing 12-month positions into 10-month positions effective August 30, 2026. The Local has also been advised that an additional two Educational Assistant (EA) positions may be eliminated.
CUPE 4865 represents approximately 215 education workers, including Secondary School Secretaries, Educational Assistants (EAs), Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs), custodial staff and other education support workers, at the Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario.
“These cuts are unacceptable,” said Mitch Gagnon, President of CUPE 4865. “Converting negotiated 12-month positions into 10-month positions means our members will no longer work during July and August beginning in 2027, stripping them of two months of employment and income every year while increasing workloads for the employees who remain. Instead of investing in the frontline workers who support students every day, the Board is reducing services and placing even more pressure on our schools.”
The Board’s actions violate the collective agreement, which clearly recognizes Secondary School Secretaries as 12-month employees, while Primary School Secretaries are recognized as 10-month employees. The Local has filed grievances challenging the changes but says the Board has refused to reverse its decision.
No decline in student enrolment is expected, yet the Board has recently hired a new supervisor and a maintenance administrator, increasing the number of administrators from two to five. These decisions raise serious concerns about the Board’s priorities.
According to Ontario’s Sunshine List, senior administrative salaries have also increased significantly in recent years. The Director of Education’s salary increased from approximately $168,000 to $224,000 over the past five years, while the Maintenance Supervisor’s salary increased from approximately $133,000 in 2024 to $177,000 in 2025. These increases stand in sharp contrast to the reductions affecting frontline education workers.
The OSBCU says these cuts reflect a broader pattern driven by chronic underfunding of education in Ontario since 2018.
“What we’re seeing at the Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario is part of a broader pattern, where education workers are being asked to pay the price for underfunding,” said Joe Tigani, President of the OSBCU. “These are the people who support students with special needs, maintain safe schools and ensure schools function every day. Cutting these workers hurts everyone.”
CUPE 4865 and the OSBCU are calling on the province to properly fund education and on the Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario to immediately reverse these job cuts.
“Students deserve safe, supported learning environments,” Tigani said. “That starts with investing in the workers who make that possible. The OSBCU stands behind CUPE 4865 members as they fight back. We are united in defending good jobs, protecting vital services, and pushing back against a system that continues to undervalue education workers and the students they serve.”
