“CUPE National union with Ontario-based leadership is interfering in what should be local negotiations between school boards and CUPE locals, and in other areas using tactics of fear and intimidation to prevent deals from being signed.
“In Medicine Hat, following an agreement between the Medicine Hat Public School Division and CUPE local 829, the national leadership of CUPE effectively deregistered the local to prevent a ratification vote.
“In Sturgeon School Division, the Alberta Labour Relations Board had to issue an injunction to prevent union activists from blocking school buses.
“In Edmonton, after nurses were contracted to administer insulin and other medications to medically fragile children, CUPE pressured the nursing agency to withdraw service, forcing those students to stay home.
“This pattern of behaviour is disturbing and shows that education support workers who do not yet have a deal will not be permitted to vote on one, under fear of deregistration by union leaders in Ontario.
“At the end of the day the antics and disturbing action taken by union leaders in Ontario is causing extremely detrimental effects to learning outcomes for Alberta students.
“Alberta’s government and school boards have shown up to the table to find a path forward, but CUPE National leaders clearly have ulterior motives that are not in the best interests of their members or Alberta students.
“Alberta’s government calls upon CUPE to allow local bargaining to take place and stop these tactics of fear and intimidation so that kids can be back in school getting the care and education they deserve.”