Show your solidarity — keep it professional

Question: I’ve heard that EAs and/or custodial staff in certain areas of the province could be taking job action soon. If these staff groups end up striking, can I be asked to cover any of their regular duties?

Answer: With over 250,000 public service members in negotiations this year, it is important that the groups work as collaboratively as possible since, in the end, we all want the same thing: respect for the work that we do, working conditions that allow us to provide the best possible service, and wages that catch up and keep up. Each one of these items directly benefits the communities where we live and work. Showing solidarity for labour action is important, especially as teachers might well have to consider that path in the months ahead.

Recently, the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) has been meeting with both local and provincial Canadian Union of Public Employee (CUPE) officials regarding the potential labour action by their respective members at schools across the province. While the Association is not part of the decision-making process for how and what CUPE has done or will do, we are connected with local and provincial leaders and will offer our support how and where we can. 

So, what does this mean for our teachers?

If support or custodial staff in your division take labour action (e.g., picketing, work to rule or strike action), teachers should keep in mind the following: 

• Teachers should not be taking on the work of another bargaining unit, including the work of support and custodial staff. 
• While tasks carried out by non-teaching staff may not be “teacher work,” the line is not as clear as some may think. In particular, the work of educational assistants (EAs) could be considered teachers’ work, especially if the work relates to the health and well-being of the students. 
• If assigned work that would usually be undertaken by EAs or other staff engaged in labour action, teachers should first ask why they are being assigned the task and what other measures have been considered or attempted before coming to them to complete the work. Teachers should then ask if they are being directed to do the work. If teachers are directed, then the ATA strongly suggests that they follow the lawful order of the division and contact the ATA’s Teacher Employment Services (TES) for advice and assistance.
• Teachers are free to show solidarity and support for their CUPE colleagues but must do so in a professional and responsible manner.
• Even if support or custodial staff take labour action, teachers are required and expected to report to work on the same basis as they normally would and to continue with their regular duties and responsibilities. While other workers may be in legal strike position, at the current time, teachers are not.
• During the teachers’ unassigned time and their before/after school time, they can, at their personal choice, participate in information pickets that might be held as part of their colleagues’ labour action. It is important for members to adhere to their assignable/instructional time responsibilities and not join in any activity that conflicts with those commitments.
• Subject to any dress code policies in the school division, teachers can wear purple to signal their solidarity with their CUPE colleagues. (CUPE has asked all Albertans to “paint Alberta purple” on specific days to support education support workers being paid fair wages.) If teachers choose to show their support by wearing purple, any discussion of the labour action needs to be carefully managed around students and should be age-appropriate. 

Labour action can have a life of its own and is not easy. At the same time, it takes a concerted and sustained effort to make a difference. 

The ATA is committed to keeping members as up to date as possible and will be working with other union officials, as well as local presidents of affected areas, to ensure that our members understand what is happening and how they can support their colleagues in a way that continues to uphold their own responsibilities as teaching professionals.

Members with questions or concerns about their roles and responsibilities as teachers during any labour action in their school division should connect with TES at 1-800-232-7208.