Province halts Edmonton Public Schools EA strike as janitors also vote to walk off the job [Video]

Less than two days before thousands of Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) workers were set to walk off the job over what their union says are unsustainable wages, the Alberta government has stepped in to prevent that strike.

The province has appointed a disputes inquiry board to help the EPSB and its support workers’ union reach a collective agreement, a news release issued late Tuesday afternoon said.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3550, which represents roughly 3,200 employees — the majority of whom are educational assistants — served notice for strike action to begin on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 a.m.

Edmonton Public Schools said to resolve contract negotiations without a work stoppage, the division applied on Monday to the province to have a disputes inquiry board (DIB) established.

“Because the disputes inquiry board was established before strike or lockout action began, the union local cannot strike and the employers cannot lock out employees until the inquiry process concludes,” …