School support staff on Prince Edward Island have recently finalized an agreement with the provincial education system, securing a wage boost to offset inflation-induced salary erosion over the past two years. The negotiation process, spearheaded by CUPE Local 3260, the union representing the support staff, commenced after the expiration of their previous contract in March 2024.
The new deal entails a wage hike of approximately 18 to 20 percent spread out over three years, inclusive of retroactive payments. Colleen Jackson, the president of CUPE Local 3260, expressed satisfaction with the agreement while acknowledging that more work lies ahead. She emphasized that the wage increase, although significant for their members, marks only a step forward and not the final destination.
Support staff play crucial roles in the education system, encompassing positions such as youth and mental health workers, workplace assistants, and more, all now consolidated under a single contract. Jackson underscored the importance of these roles for both students and teachers, highlighting the indispensability of support staff in enabling student attendance by catering to diverse needs such as medical, behavioral, and academic support.
Furthermore, the contract extension will now cover primary support workers focusing on social and emotional development for children in kindergarten through Grade 2. Jackson noted that currently, the Public Schools Branch employs two such workers.
During negotiations, the union local advocated for an increase in the daily working hours from six to seven, a demand that did not materialize in the final agreement. Jackson justified this decision as a means to promptly channel the wage increase to the staff members in need, with financial struggles being a concern. She affirmed that the quest for an additional working hour remains a priority for future negotiation rounds.
Jackson stressed that the current six-hour workday is insufficient for the demands of the job, highlighting the necessity of an extra hour for effective collaboration with teachers and school teams, attending meetings and case conferences, communicating with families and professionals, completing documentation, and preparing for daily student interactions. She also underscored the potential positive impacts of the extra hour on recruitment, retention, and reducing school violence through enhanced collaboration.
The newly ratified contract is slated to take effect at the onset of the upcoming school year in September. Retroactive payments for the years 2024 and 2025 will be disbursed in October as a lump sum payment.