'It is about to start': Families prepare for potential strike action in N.B. schools

SAINT JOHN, N.B. -

Parents in New Brunswick are monitoring their e-mail and text messages, with both CUPE and the provincial government saying strike action could begin at any time.

"Each time I get one, my heart skips a beat for a second," says parent Teri McMackin of Petitcodiac.

Education assistants, custodians, and bus drivers are among employees within the education system who are in a legal strike position.

About 22,000 CUPE members from 10 different locals voted 94 per cent in favour of strike action earlier this month. Talks broke down Tuesday evening when the provincial government walked away from negotiations.

Both the union and government say labour action is now imminent.

"Everything has pretty much been set in motion. The government is refusing to negotiate fairly with these groups and they are preparing for job action as we speak," says CUPE New Brunswick president Stephen Drost. "They are prepared for job action. It is about to start."

The provincial government sent parents a letter on Wednesday saying students and staff "must be prepared for unannounced early dismissals."

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy says a return to virtual learning may be required in the event of a strike.

"The goal is to try and keep our schools open as much as we can, and if we do have to move to online learning, to make that as seamless as possible," he says.

If buses aren't able to travel, Cardy says schools will still remain open.

"It will be a school-by-school situation and we will respond to whatever CUPE decides it needs to do," he says.

In the meantime, parents are watching the situation closely.

"We've already kind of conditioned ourselves now to make sure we're checking our e-mails first thing in the morning to see if school is even open," says parent Jenna Morton of Salisbury, N.B., referring to new COVID-19 cases in the school system. "Now it's like, you better be checking it all day long because if strike action happens and it happens in the middle of the day we may have to send students home early."

Disruptions to the education system would just be one effect of any potential strike. CUPE members in a legal strike position include employees within the education, healthcare, justice, and transportation sectors.

In an interview with CTV Anchor Steve Murphy on Thursday, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he does not plan to take action now to prevent a strike by CUPE-NB workers.