The tentative government deal offered to Ontario education support workers threatening a strike would provide the lowest-paid members a 4.2 percent yearly salary increase, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Monday at a press conference.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) represents librarians, early childhood educators, janitors, and other school support staff. Instead of the threatened strike on Nov. 21, schools were open and education workers will start voting on the deal on Thursday.
CUPE said that the tentative deal reached Nov. 20 offered workers a $1-per-hour raise annually for four years, working out to an increase of 3.59 percent a year.
“We’re going to respect the ratification process, but I will note that for the lowest paid worker, and I will use their average of $39,000 [in salary], this deal would represent a 4.2 percent increase annually every single year,” Lecce said. He said CUPE had opted for “public disclosure” of negotiations….