Edmonton support workers strike for livable wage after decade without pay increase

Education support workers in Edmonton stand firm on the picket lines, fighting for fair wages after not receiving a raise in a decade.

“The average school support worker in Alberta makes $34,500,” CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said in a press release, “Many workers have gone 10 years without a wage increase. Alberta has the lowest per-capita education funding in Canada.”

Cynthia Bertoni, an educational assistant participating in the strike at M.E. LaZerte High School, can no longer afford to live off the wage she is receiving. 

“Ten years ago, I could manage on this income, doing a job that I absolutely love,” Bertoni said. 

According to the City of Edmonton, $34,390 is considered low income, leaving educational support workers impoverished. 

Support workers will receive a tax cut, saving them about $13 a week, Gill said in a press release. “That is not enough to make a difference in our day-to-day lives,” Bertoni said. 

Workers are asking for a livable wage to continue supporting themselves in the career path they love. “We didn’t choose this career for the money, but we need a livable wage,” Bertoni said. 

The lack of funding impacts children’s education as students face overcrowded classrooms. Children often need help with small tasks, such as putting on their outerwear.  

“When you have 32 plus kids in a classroom, you’re pulled in so many different directions, and so many of them sadly fall between the cracks,” Bertoni said. 

“They’re not funding the people that are supporting tomorrow’s leaders, tomorrow’s future, the education of our children,” Bertoni said. 

Education support workers do not want to strike; they must strike to guarantee livable wages. 

“Enough is enough,” Bertoni said. “As Edmonton Public employees, we do not feel like we are valued support staff.”