Earlier today, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) provided notice that their members will participate in strike action of full withdrawal of services province-wide, affecting YRDSB schools to begin on Monday, November 21, 2022 if a settlement is not reached.
At York Region District School Board, CUPE represents over 4,000 staff who provide critical services to our school board, including Caretakers, Maintenance staff, Educational Assistants (EAs), Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs), Child Youth Workers (CYWs), Clerical staff, Information Technology (IT) and other support staff members.
Should the strike action occur, schools will be closed to students on Monday, November 21. Families are strongly encouraged to make alternate arrangements for their children prior to the strike. Parents are asked to remind students to take personal belongings home on Thursday in anticipation of the potential full withdrawal of services occurring.
Teachers will communicate with their class regarding learning for the potential closure.
Full Day Childcare programs operating at schools are anticipated to operate normally, however will close by 4:30 p.m. Families should confirm with their provider. Before and After school care programs will be closed.
We anticipate receiving additional information over the coming days and will provide updates to families as they become available. Please visit the Board website www.yrdsb.ca/bargaining or Twitter account @yrdsb for immediate updates.
We recognize this situation is disappointing for all involved. This was not an easy decision to make; your child’s safety continues to be our first priority. Families are a valued partner in education and we thank you for your support and for everything you do each and every day to help students succeed. We value the relationships we have with our families and community partners. We can appreciate that this uncertainty will affect our students and families, and want you to know that we are doing everything we can to support our students.