THUNDER BAY -- The local public school board is frustrated with a bargaining process it can't control and doesn't know how long it can keep normal operations in schools going.
With CUPE, ETFO and OSSTF all in job action next week in elementary and high schools, Lakehead Public Schools superintendent of business David Wright said he's hoping school won't look a lot different for students on Monday morning.
"But we're not a hundred per cent sure how long we're going to be able to maintain the normalcy of schools. Our administrators continue to bear the brunt of the burden of sanctions and in spite of the extreme efforts to keep things going for kids there's a limit," he said.
"We're not just talking about fundraising activities and extra-curricular activities for kids, we're talking about principals preparing report cards. We're talking about managing supervision for kids and coverage of staff . It's about paperwork and staff meetings and professional development."
Central negotiations between OSSTF support staff and the province broke off on the weekend.
That includes student support personnel and early childhood educators for Lakehead Public Schools, elementary and secondary, and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. The union said it will begin a selective withdrawal of services starting Monday.
"We expect a fair deal that doesn’t seek to undermine the working conditions of our members or the learning conditions of our students," OSSTF provincial executive officer Sue Doughty-Smith said.
CUPE represents custodial, maintenance and cafeteria staff while ETFO represents elementary public school teachers.
"Add on to all of that the principals now have to determine the line between lack of cleanliness and health and safety for staff and students," Wright said.
Local negotiations have been going well but job action is due to a breakdown in central bargaining. Wright said that adds to the frustration. The school board has worked hard to have good relationships with staff and union but sanctions are taking their toll.
"It's particularly frustrating because we really are not in control," he said.
"Staff in individual schools continue to maintain good working relationships and good school cultures but job action and putting pressure on individuals in schools takes its toll on relationships over time. We are doing our best not to make this personal but it's impacting some of our staff in particular and it's starting to impact students and we're frustrated because we don't have any control."
"If we could do it all here locally I think we'd be in a great spot."
