With recent job cuts and escalating violence in classrooms, Ontario’s educational assistants (EAs) are fighting for better job security and compensation, and more staff devoted to children who need extra help—demands they hope will also lead to a safer working environment.
“I see violence if not every day, at least several times a week at my school,” said a local elementary school EA within the Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) who asked to remain anonymous. “I’ve gotten a permanent knee injury from being kicked by a student. I’ve been kicked, hit, punched and bitten as well as having items thrown at me.”
Budget cuts implemented this year have reduced the number of educational assistants in classrooms.
“Last year we had two EAs and this year we have 1.5 and a new student that requires a full day support so what was covered by two EAs last year now only gets a half day of coverage,” said the EA. “Some schools have been reduced by two or three EAs which means a lot of kids have no coverage at all.
“There are many kids with learning disabilities in our schools that would benefit from having that extra person there to help with reading, writing, learning numbers, etc. When having an EA only with behavioural students we aren’t able to help those kids really struggling academically. I would love to help kids learn their math skills but instead I am clearing a classroom because a student is throwing items around the room. When I first started I was able to do small groups to work on reading skills and kids jumped up several reading levels in a couple of months. I can’t do that anymore.”
EAs and other school support staff began a work-to-rule campaign across the province early this week after their union and the provincial government failed to come to a new contract agreement.
CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees), which represents 55,000 individuals who work in Ontario schools including custodial staff, clerical staff, and educational assistants, has been demanding a better deal for its members, who earn an average of $38,000 per year.
Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, said in a release on Sunday, “The Crown and the employers tabled a reasonable offer and expanded our offer through the negotiations with one interest in mind: landing a deal that keeps our kids in class. We have offered proposals to address compensation, job security and funding for additional staffing. A key issue that remains is resolving rising absenteeism rates, and the impact that has on students and schools.”
CUPE has said that the impact of job cuts needs to be addressed.
On Wednesday, CUPE said its members will strike on Monday, October 7 if no deal is reached before then. On its website, the union said that it has “issued an earnest invitation to the province and the Council of Trustees’ Associations (CTA), urging them to bargain with the union around the clock beginning Friday, October 4, and work throughout the weekend in order to avoid the disruption that a full strike would bring to students, families and schools,” an invitation that was accepted.
TLDSB has urged parents to make alternate arrangements for their children beginning October 7 in case a strike results in school closures. The Simcoe Muskoka District Catholic School Board has done the same, although only custodial staff within their schools are represented by CUPE.
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