VICTORIA - Negotiations are underway to avert a strike that could see picket lines at 51 Victoria-area schools and almost 20,000 students at home missing classes on Monday.
School support staff who are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 947 served 72-hour strike notice earlier this week, giving its 800 members the right to walk off the job Monday morning.
UPDATE (2014-01-17): A deal has been reached with CUPE 947 and all schools will be open on Monday, Greater Victoria School District Superintendent John Gaiptman tweeted on Friday night.
The Greater Victoria Teachers' Association and the CUPE local that represents school tradespeople have said they will not cross picket lines at the schools.
District Superintendent John Gaiptman sent a letter to parents saying classes will not be held if there is a strike and he suggested families make arrangements other than attending school on Monday for their children.
"In the event that there is a strike, we are anticipating that teachers and support staff will honour the picket lines that will be present at each of our schools and district buildings," stated Gaiptman's letter.
"Therefore, there will not be any regular supervision or instructional programs available. With this in mind, I am asking parents to find alternate arrangements and not to send their children to school during this strike."
Local 947 is the only CUPE local in British Columbia to reject a framework agreement that provides a 3.5 per cent pay increase over two years.
The Victoria local opposed changes to their prescription-drug benefits package and voted 137-61 last month against the contract.
The contract was ratified by 56 other CUPE locals.
The B.C. Public School Employers' Association, which is negotiating on behalf of the school district, said in a statement that talks were ongoing in an attempt to reach a settlement.
"We are working diligently with the Greater Victoria Board of Education, and are meeting with CUPE BC and the union local again (Friday) in a last-ditch effort to avert a strike," said Mike Roberts, the association's interim chief executive officer.
"It is difficult to understand the union's reasoning for interrupting the education of students and inconvenience parents and other employees," Roberts said.