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WINNIPEG – Clerical workers in the Sunrise School Division are going on strike Friday, April 11th. Contract negotiations went into conciliation but this could not resolve the wide difference on key wage issues.

The members are going to walk picket lines at schools in Beausj006fur, Lac-du-Bonnet and Powerview. Their colleagues (in Local 1618 who provide custodial, maintenance, bus driving and teaching assistance to the School Division) went on strike on Tuesday.

“The School Division has just dragged their feet. They knew about the amalgamation and what it would mean for their budget, but they waited until the last minute to do anything. Then their solution is to refuse a wage payment that is common in other school divisions,” said Charmaine Hrysio, Local 4456 President.

School division amalgamation put together workers who are doing similar work, but receive very different salaries. While the employer has agreed to some wage increases, these do not equalize salaries across the Division. The Minister of Education also made funds available to school divisions for extra costs incurred due to amalgamations.

“We’ve tried to be reasonable, we’ve tried to accommodate the Division, but we’re just given excuses that don’t resolve the basic issues – our members deserve wage parity.

“We don’t want this strike to last a long time – we don’t want to affect the students and their families, but the Division has to take responsibility for the situation we’re in,” said Hrysio.

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For information, contact:
Charmaine Hrysio, President of CUPE Local 4456
Phone: 268-1573
Peter Tartsch, CUPE Representative
Phone: 942-0343, ext. 215