Audrey goes back to work tomorrow.
The offer given on Friday still offered a lump sum instead of a wage increase for the second year of the contract, but for $600 instead of the original $200. Some people really wanted to stay on strike and hold out for the percentage, but in the end, 583 said yes, while only 142 said no.
Best of all, they had 729 out of 960-odd members make it out to vote. This past April, the 57% voter turnout for the provincial election was the best in almost two decades, so 70% is nothing to sneeze at. The ECSD website says they ratified the agreement as well, so the secretaries, librarians and Special Needs Teaching Assistants like Audrey should all be returning to their duties Tuesday.
Hopefully things get back to normal, but it could be a lot of cold shoulder for the workers who crossed the line, as well as the administrators who tried to encourage others to do so. With any luck though, both sides of the dispute can put the struggle behind them and focus on the kids they are there to serve.
For a year or two at least, and then we can revisit the whole mess again...
I'm happy Audrey can get back to work and your lives can get back to normal. Speaking from the experience of a 66 day strike where I was on the management side, it takes time for the hard feelings to soften.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Audrey's going back, but a $600 raise is pretty thin gruel for the kind of work she's doing.
ReplyDeleteOh, it isn't a raise, it's a lump sum INSTEAD of a raise, so it won't even count the next time there is a percentage wage increase. Crafty, no?
ReplyDeleteAnd Heather, you might be glad to hear that the teachers served lunch to the returning workers, so at least there are no hard feelings there...