The main parent group in the Saanich School District is trying to arrange activities for students in case they can’t attend classes Monday because of expected strike action.
“I think parents are pretty concerned,” said James Taylor of the Confederation of Parents’ Advisory Councils of Saanich. “There’s going to be a lot of panic over the weekend as people realize they have to pull something together.”
About 500 education assistants, clerical workers, counsellors and others represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 441 have served 72-hour strike notice and are in a position to proceed with job action on Monday.
CUPE 441 president Dean Coates said a full withdrawal of services is planned. With teachers expected to honour picket lines, the district said that only administrators would be in schools and students would have to stay away because proper supervision won’t be provided.
Taylor said his group contacted recreation centres the day it found out that strike notice had been served.
Saanich Commonwealth Place was one of the sites that responded, Taylor said, offering to create child-care spots. “They really did a lot of last-minute work.”
Both Saanich Commonwealth Place and the Panorama Recreation Centre are offering school-closure camps on a first-come, first-served basis.
Taylor said a notice has been sent to all parent advisory councils in the district, asking them to identify if any parents are struggling with how to deal with the looming strike.
The parent advisory councils are being asked to brainstorm and look into possibilities such as parents joining forces and organizing rotating play dates.
“If there’s one parent who is a stay-at-home [parent], can they watch some other people’s kids?” Taylor asked. “Or even parents, if they can take a day off work and one day they mind a bunch of kids, and the next day it’s someone else’s turn.”
He said older children who are qualified to babysit could be matched with families who need help with childminding.
Taylor said he has particular concern for special-needs children and their parents.
“Disruption is always hard on them and to find appropriate care is another added level of stress.”
Taylor said he is hopeful that CUPE 441 and district officials will get together on the weekend and resume bargaining.
“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” he said. “And that also adds to the complexity for parents trying to navigate this, the unknown.”
Taylor said he has spoken with Coates and knows that job action is not something CUPE 441 takes lightly.
Coates said Friday afternoon that the union has not been contacted by the district.
“We told them: ‘Look, if you guys want to talk about this and have some meaningful discussions, we’re available around the clock,’ and they have not called us.”
CUPE 441 members are seeking an end to wage disparity with neighbouring school districts, where people doing similar jobs earn more money.
District superintendent Dave Eberwein said he is staying positive.
“We don’t have a planned bargaining meeting with the union at this time, but the door remains open.”
Greater Victoria School District officials stressed that while a number of its schools are in the District of Saanich, they are separate from the Saanich School District and will not be affected by any potential job action.
Any updates from the Saanich School District will be posted at sd63.bc.ca. Some opportunities for student recreation and other information will also be listed.
