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Wadena: Education workers in the Wadena School Division returned to work this morning, after spending five consecutive school days on the picket line.

The 80 school support workers, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, began rotating job action on April 9 to pressure the employer to drop its demands for concessions and negotiate a fair agreement.

The school secretaries, caretakers, teacher associates, library assistants and other support staff have spent a total of nine 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 CUPE education workers say they will continue rotating job action until the employer removes all concessions from the table and negotiates significant wage and benefit improvements for support staff.

The two sides met with conciliator George Wall on May 14, but the meeting adjourned after a few hours. The employer said it needed more time to review the unions proposals.

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

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For more information contact:
CUPE Communications Rep Beth Smillie at 525-5874.