The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and the union representing support workers have reach a tentative agreement, ending a five-week long strike.
The school board issued a statement late Thursday night to say that the agreement had been reached with Unifor Local 2458 after a lengthy bargaining session in Toronto, with the assistance from the Ministry of Education. This was the first time the two parties have been at the bargaining table since before the strike began.
“We’re extremely pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached,” says Director of Education Paul Picard in a media release. “We believe it provides fair compensation for our employees, but that it also addresses some of the key fiscal issues we face as a board. We remain hopeful that it will be ratified soon by both parties so that these employees can get back to work.”
The school board says details of the agreement will not be released until it is reviewed and ratified by the union members, who will vote on the contract on Saturday. Trustees will also be called to an emergency in-camera meeting to consider ratification of the deal.
Unifor Local 2458 represents 370 custodians, secretaries, office and clerical staff, maintenance workers, information technology workers and campus ministers at the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board.
