HANOVER – The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board has announced that all Catholic schools in their jurisdiction will be closed on Friday.
In a press release, the school board said the closures are a direct result of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announcement that they will withdraw services on Friday, Nov. 4 if they are unable to reach an agreement with the provincial government.
The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board says CUPE represents about 41 per cent of its total staff, or 420 individuals, including educational assistants, custodians, office administrators, early childhood educators, library technicians, IT field technicians, and staff at the Catholic Education Centre.
“After assessing the safety risks for our students and staff, the board has determined that we cannot safely operate our schools for students during a full CUPE withdrawal of service,” states the release. “As such, the board has made the very difficult decision to close all secondary and elementary schools in the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board on Friday, Nov. 4.”
The board remains hopeful that a strike will be averted, but are encouraging families to make alternative child care arrangements for Friday. Before and after school programs will be closed as well.
The Brockton and Wooden Hill child care centres (pre-school programs) will remain open.
The board will be posting updates on the “CUPE Work Action Update” section of its website: bgcdsb.org/labour_update.
Bluewater schools will remain open
Schools in the Bluewater District School Board will remain open on Friday, according to a letter sent to parents and guardians of students on Wednesday afternoon.
In the Bluewater District School Board, CUPE represents custodial and maintenance staff.
Provincial negotiations are currently underway between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Ontario government.
“Our CUPE staff provide essential services in our local schools and board facilities. We will be closely monitoring the impact to daily operations as this situation evolves and making decisions accordingly,” states the “We remain firmly committed to prioritizing the health and safety of all our students and staff.”
The board has also asked that students pack litter-less lunches and snacks for school on Friday “to reduce the amount of waste in our buildings.”
If a CUPE strike proceeds, the board says it “would necessitate the cancellation of extra-curricular activities” and “all rental permits for community events in schools would be cancelled.”
A designated page for labour updates has also been created on the Bluewater District School Board website at the following link: www.bwdsb.on.ca/Spotlight/Labour_Updates.
