CUPE
We value the hard work and dedication of support staff. They are integral members of school communities, and we appreciate everything they do to support student success.
February 21/2025
As a follow-up to our February 14, 2025, letter, we are providing an update on our ongoing negotiations with CUPE Local 4625. Unfortunately, negotiations have reached an impasse, and CUPE National has not shown a willingness to engage in finding a fair and sustainable resolution. Despite the Division’s efforts to reach an agreement, significant gaps remain between the proposals. This letter outlines the latest developments, including CUPE’s counterproposal, the Division’s response, and the next steps.
Communication from the Superintendent
*Individual schools are in regular contact with their families. If you have any questions please connect with your school principal.
Letter to Sturgeon Public Stakeholders - February 21/2025
Please see the attached letter regarding a CUPE bargaining update.
Letter to Sturgeon Families and Staff - CUPE Bargaining Update
Letter to Sturgeon Public Stakeholders - February 14/2025
Please see the attached letter regarding a bargaining update.
Letter to Sturgeon Public Stakeholders - Bargaining Update
Letter to SPS Families - February 7/2025
Please see the attached letter outlining the cease-and-desist application the Division brought forward and the consent order that is now in effect as a result.
Letter to Families - Cease and Desist Application Board File No. GE-09341
Letter to CUPE Local 4625 Staff - January 30/2025
Letter to CUPE Local 4625 Staff
CUPE Strike Full Action - January 13/2025
Please see the attached letter with the latest information we have regarding the strike action from CUPE Local 4625.
Media Release - January 10/2025
Please see the attached Media Release from Sturgeon Public School Division.
CUPE Update - January 09/2025
Please see the attached letter with the latest information we have regarding the strike action from CUPE Local 4625.
CUPE Update - October 30/2024
Please see the attached letter with the latest information we have regarding the possible labour action from CUPE Local 4625.
CUPE Update - October 25/2024
Please see the attached update regarding the possible labour action from CUPE Local 4625 (CUPE).
CUPE Update - October 21/2024
Please see the attached Media Release from Sturgeon Public School Division regarding the CUPE Bargaining Update.
What's happening now?
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, CUPE Local 4625, representing support staff in schools, has withdrawn all labour services and moved to a full strike, effective immediately. While schools will remain open, this action may affect some services and supports.
Key Areas of Potential Impact
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Specialized Programming and Diverse/Complex Needs Support: Adjustments to programming will be necessary. Schools will contact affected families directly.
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Pre-Kindergarten Programming: Morning and afternoon programming is suspended until further notice.
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Extracurricular Activities: These may be impacted. Each planned experience or activity will be reviewed by the school principal to determine if it can safely continue.
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Transportation Services: While regular transportation will continue initially, routes may shift over time. No transportation will be provided for Pre-Kindergarten as that program is suspended.
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Supervision and Arrival/Departure Procedures: Parents are advised to allow extra time due to potential delays caused by picketing. Designated drop-off areas will be supervised to ensure student safety.
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Joint Use Activities: Prescheduled Joint-Use Activities may be able to continue. Each school principal will review the details of the activities, and consider the unique situation of their school to determine if these activities can continue. Further communication will follow directly to groups involved.
What we are doing to support continued learning
We understand that this strike will have an impact on schools and student learning. It is our collective goal to have learning continue in the best way possible given our circumstances, and we are actively working towards a resolution to this job action.
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Schools have contingency plans to ensure that learning continues, and we are working diligently to support the safety of students. For the majority of students, learning will remain in-person.
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Schools have already been in contact with the families of students who may be moving to at-home learning to support safety. If you have questions about your individual circumstances, contact your child’s school.
Timeline
Background
Sturgeon Public Schools has been working together with CUPE Local 4625 since 2021 to reach a collective agreement on matters that are important to the local. Steps have been taken to address key issues between the parties, which included having a mediator appointed to work towards a collective agreement.
Recent events
February 14, 2025
- The Division and CUPE Local 4625 were unable to reach an agreement.
February 13, 2025
- Sturgeon Public Schools and CUPE Local 4625 return to the bargaining table.
January 14, 2025
- CUPE Local 4625 has withdrawn all labour services and moved to a full strike, effective immediately beginning Tuesday, January 14, 2025.
January 13, 2025
- Job Action commences at all school locations from 7:30 am to 9:00 am followed by a work-to-rule for the remainder of the day.
January 9, 2025
- CUPE Local 4625 gives 72-hour strike notice.
December 11–20, 2024
- CUPE Local 4625 holds Information Pickets at different school locations on different mornings before school hours.
October 30, 2024
- The Labour Relations Board has confirmed the results of the vote. CUPE membership voted in favour of striking.
October 25, 2024
- CUPE Local 4625 - strike vote to takes place online 6:00 am to 9:00 pm electronically
October 24, 2024
- Schools support learning as many CUPE Local 4625 members attend a rally at the Alberta Legislature.
October 17, 2024
- CUPE Local 4625 - notification from the Labour Board that CUPE had applied for a strike vote.
October 7, 2024
- CUPE Local 4625 rejects the Mediator's Recommendation
October 4, 2024
- Sturgeon Board of Trustees ratified the mediator’s recommendation
September 21, 2024
- Mediator provides recommendation to CUPE Local 4625 and Sturgeon Public School Division
February 7, 2024
- Mediator is appointed
June 17, 2021
- Sturgeon Public School Division responds to CUPE Local 4625 and agrees to begin Collective Bargaining
June 15, 2021
- CUPE Local 4625 served notice to commence Collective Bargaining
Positions impacted
The support staff group includes:
- Administrative Assistants (at school locations)
- Educational Assistants
- Office Clerks
- Therapy Assistants
- Licensed Practical Nurses
- Finance Clerks
- Nutrition Coordinators
- Lunch Supervisors
- Library Technicians
Picket lines at schools
Picket lines may make roads more congested at drop-off and pick-up times. Be extra aware of pedestrians if there is a picket line at your school.
Picketing may not occur on Division property and must remain outside the perimeters of the school grounds/Division property. A legal picket line should be peaceful and serve only to impede access to a building, not to deny access, not to threaten, harass, or injure those who need to access the school/building. Individuals wishing to cross a picket line should calmly tell picketers that they have a right to enter the facility and ask the picketer to allow them access. A picket line that results in denial of access to Division property, or is threatening or non-peaceful, or that occurs on Division property, is not a legal picket line. If you observe any of these illegal activities, including any violence, intimidation, or threats, immediately contact 911.
Strike FAQs - SPS Staff
Employee Labour Relations Support Program
New supports are in place to help unionized employees, or employees that may become part of a union, better understand and exercise their rights.
A number of staff members have approached us to seek clarification on information provided by CUPE. Specifically, staff have been questioning their rights during a legal strike and raising concerns about the penalties and fines CUPE has referenced for staff members not wishing to take part in the strike. To provide employees with as much information as possible, we have compiled key questions and answers. This page will be updated periodically, check back for more information:
1. Is it legal to cross a picket line and return to work with the employer?
- Yes. Employees can decide to return to work at any time. There is no law or legal requirement that prevents an employee from crossing a picket line and engaging in work with the employer during a strike.
2. Will I lose my job once the strike is over if I cross the picket line because the union says I will no longer be ‘in good standing’?
- No. You will not lose your job if you cross the picket line, but the Union may discourage you from working by threatening fines or imposing discipline.
- CUPE is prohibited by law from doing anything that would affect your employment, security and your promotional opportunities if you decide to work.
3. Can a union impose a fine or punish its members?
- We expect that CUPE’s constitution allows for fines. If you are not a member of CUPE, you are in no way bound by their constitution and no action of any kind purporting to fine you can be taken.
- CUPE cannot collect fines. This position has been made clear in a variety of cases across Canada. So what this practically means, is that they can “fine” you, but they have no way to collect that fine.
4. The Union has told us that anyone who crosses the picket line will have their union dues deducted and the union will use that information to identify picket line crossers. Is that the case?
- No, the Employer will not deduct union dues from the pay of employees who decide to cross the picket line and work for us.
Strike FAQs – SPS Families
- Specialized Programming and Diverse/Complex Needs Support K-12:
- Adjustments to programming are necessary. Schools will contact affected families directly. Please reach out to your school principal if you have questions.
- Pre-Kindergarten Programming:
- Morning and afternoon programming is suspended until the CUPE Labour Action is resolved.
- Extracurricular Activities:
- These may be impacted. Each planned experience or activity will be reviewed by the school principal to determine if it can safely continue.
- Junior High Athletics and Competition (ISC):
- Practices are continuing and the regular schedule of Inter School Competitions will resume on January 30th. These activities and their impact on education will continue to be monitored.
- Transportation Services:
- While regular transportation continues, routes may shift over time. Families impacted will be contacted directly.
- No Transportation will be provided for Pre-Kindergarten because the program is suspended.
- Supervision and Arrival/Departure Procedures:
- Parents are advised to allow extra time due to potential delays caused by picketing. Designated drop-off areas will be supervised to ensure student safety.
- Joint Use:
- Prescheduled Joint-Use Activities may be able to continue. Each school principal will review the details of the activities, and consider the unique situation of their school to determine if these activities can continue. Further communication will follow directly to groups involved.
- Communication:
- Please follow our usual communication protocols by contacting your child’s teacher for classroom-specific questions or concerns, and your school Principal for questions about school operations.
Budget Highlights
Budget 2022/2023: Acting Superintendent Message
Budget 2023/2024: Superintendent Message
Budget 2024/2025: Superintendent Message
Sturgeon Public School Division Exemption Order
February 26, 2025, the Division received the updated Ministerial Order (015/2025) and our updated Exemption to the In-person Learning Regulation. Our priority continues to be in-person learning for all students, however, for the duration of the CUPE Labour Action, the Minister of Education has granted Sturgeon Public Schools an exemption from the In-Person Learning Regulation. This exemption allows the Division to temporarily modify in-person learning requirements while ensuring the health and safety of all students and staff.
The Division requested an exemption to section 2 of the In-person Learning Regulation for the duration of the Strike, in order to meet its obligations to provide and deliver education programming while also fulfilling its responsibility to ensure each student and staff member is provided with a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment.
The Division is responsible for accommodating all students up to the point of undue hardship, balancing reasonable resource limitations while ensuring students have meaningful access to their education. Given the removal of 30% of our staff due to labour action and the inability to secure replacement workers with the required skills, the Division must make case-by-case, individual student decisions regarding reasonable accommodations for students.
Where a student’s continued in-person attendance presents a health or safety risk to themselves, other students, or staff, the Division may determine that the student is exempt from in-person learning. In such cases, schools, in collaboration with families, will make every reasonable effort to support partial in-person attendance while balancing safety concerns and operational realities. Additionally, per the Ministerial Order, the Division must make reasonable efforts to continue in-person learning where feasible, including attempting to hire qualified staff or contract third-party service providers. The Division may claim undue hardship where available accommodations do not meet the health and safety needs of students.
The Division must ensure the health and safety of all students and staff and Principals have a duty under the Education Act to maintain a safe and disciplined learning environment for all.
In making these determinations, the Division will continue to assess and deploy resources equitably, prioritizing student safety while ensuring compliance with legislative obligations under both the Education Act and the Human Rights Act.