Halifax school support staff sound alarm on low wages as strike continues

CUPE members say school support staff incomes in Halifax are not enough, even with the new deal.

Many are saying what they make is not what they are worth, even with the increase other members have accepted.

Christine Archibald has spent the last three years working as an early childhood education support worker.

She loves her job, but says it does not pay her enough.

“I make $736 bi-weekly after taxes and benefits.”

If it were not for her husband, Archibald said she would not be able to make ends meet.

“My mortgage alone is more than what I make in one week and I wouldn’t be able to have a car, groceries, or even send my kids to sports. I would have to work two jobs minimum,” she explained.

Archibald said she makes $17,664 annually after tax.

The current deal includes a six per cent increase over three years.

In the first and second year, school support staff will earn a 1.5 per cent increase each year, followed with a three per cent increase in the third year.

With what Archibald says she makes now, she would receive a bump of $814 by the end of the three years.

She said this is not enough.

“For most of the people in my position, they can’t afford to move out of their parents’ basements. They can’t afford to live on their own. They’re living in rented rooms because their choices are to have an apartment or have a car and eat.”

Jennifer Robar is in a similar situation.

Robar has been an education program assistant for five years and makes around $18,000 annually. With the current deal, over the next three years, Robar would make around $19,100 dollars.

She said without her husband, she would be struggling to make ends meet like her coworkers.

“She’s struggling to keep the power on and struggling to pay bills and she comes to work sick and can’t afford to not go to work,” she explained.

In an interview with CTV News last week, Minister of Education Becky Druhan said the province is disappointed with CUPE’s decision to strike.

“In fact, it was approved by all the other locals across the province. It was a fair offer -- fair to taxpayers and employees and in the best interest of students and families, so I am disappointed in the state we’re in now.”

CUPE Local 5047 members’ collective agreement ended three years ago.

The union said school support staff worked throughout the entirety of the pandemic and deserve more than a six per cent increase over the next three years.

“We’re now looking at 28-29 months without people seeing an increase in pay. We’re seeing the increases in other areas like inflation is going, the price of gas, the price of food, [and] accommodations,” said CUPE Local 5047 President Chris Melanson.

With some students unable to attend school due to the strike, CUPE said the government needs to do more.

“They are allowing children to not receive an education. They are allowing people to continuously go to work and go home hungry and show up the next day in the same state. That’s not OK,” said Melanson.

CTV News reached out to the province for comment Saturday but did not hear back by press time.

Melanson said they have not heard back from government or the Halifax Regional Centre for Education.

Strikers said they are eager to get back to work once they are offered a fair contract.

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