The Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) will close their schools to students Friday, pending strike action.
Officials say it’s because the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) plans to strike on that day.
However, Carolynne Bull, Manager of Communication Services for TLDSB, tells the MyHaliburtonNow.com newsroom if a deal is reached between the province and CUPE, schools would be open and classes would continue “as a regular day.”
“The CUPE members at TLDSB are vital to supporting student supervision and safety,” say officials with TLDSB. “Without these individuals, TLDSB cannot safely operate schools for students.”
CUPE members that work at TLDSB include secretaries, clerks, computer technicians, custodial and maintenance staff, and educational assistants. “These individuals are vital to maintaining the safe operation of our buildings and various sites,” officials with the school board say. “It is important to note that other school boards across the province may have different or fewer employee groups as part of CUPE, and therefore, may be able to keep their schools open.”
TLDSB officials say they will not proceed with asynchronous learning Friday and are asking students to work on previously assigned projects, while officials with SMCDSB say students will be given work to complete “independently.”
“We understand that this can be very frustrating for families and hope that a provincial agreement with CUPE is reached very soon,” TLDSB officials say. “We value our CUPE staff and continue to be hopeful that a resolution is made quickly so that students can be back in class. We will continue to communicate with our families on labour relations updates.”