National Support Staff Day in the Education Sector During the Pandemic
The Word "Support" Once Again Takes On Its Full Meaning
MONTRÉAL, Sept. 24, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - National Support Staff Day in the Education Sector is being celebrated today across Quebec. This special day serves as an opportunity to celebrate the thoroughness, skills, and commitment of support staff in the education network. However, this year is quite unique, since Quebec is right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support During COVID-19
"Since the spring, we have seen firsthand that the contribution of support staff is essential," said Annie Charland, President of the School Sector, and Martin Ménard, President of the Secteur soutien cégeps (CEGEP support sector) of the Fédération des employées et employés de services publics (FEESP-CSN). "In fact, since the confinement period began in March, support staff have been operating emergency day care services and providing a comforting presence for children. They have also ensured the shift from traditional CEGEP teaching to a formula adapted to the pandemic, while preparing for the return to schools and CEGEPs in the fall. In both sectors, support staff also thoroughly ensured the sanitation of the premises."
FEESP-CSN would like to point out that on a daily basis, thousands of women and men put in a great deal of effort to perform tasks that often go unseen, but that are essential for the effective functioning of Quebec school boards, CEGEPs, private colleges, and universities.
"Support staff have executed a major coup since mid-March, and the challenges are far from over," continued Annie Charland and Martin Ménard. "However, these thousands of workers will do everything they can to provide the best services possible to the student population of Quebec."
Stagnating Round of Bargaining
Recognition from the government has been slow to come. While it said publicly that it wanted to come to a quick resolution to the round of bargaining to renew collective agreements, there has been radio silence since the middle of the summer. While employer bargaining committees continue to push for increasing the job insecurity of support staff by submitting proposals to that effect, FEESP–CSN would like to point out that solutions for the attraction and retention of workers in schools and CEGEPs are part of its lists of demands.
"The Ministère de l'Éducation recently launched a recruitment campaign for the education network due to shortages in certain job classes," said Stéphanie Gratton, FEESP–CSN Vice-President in charge of public-sector bargaining. "While the government is committed to making the network more appealing to future workers, it continues to retain its proposals that increase job insecurity and thus reduce quality of life at work."
Academia has also been affected by the context in which higher education in Quebec finds itself. "Whether they work at home or on-site during the pandemic, our members have continued to support library operations at Concordia University," said Kent Cluff, President of the Concordia University Library Employees' Union (CULEU), which is part of FEESP–CSN. "At the same time, our union has had to face the very difficult challenge of concluding our long round of bargaining with the university. These are uncertain times, and our jobs are changing on a daily basis, but the value of our work is greater than ever before."
FEESP–CSN represents over 35,000 members at 33 school boards, nearly 6,000 members at 34 CEGEPs, and nearly 640 members at Concordia University, including office agents, caretakers, day care service educators, special education technicians, computer technicians, laboratory technicians, attendants for handicapped students, school secretaries, and skilled workers. More generally, it brings together 425 affiliated unions that represent over 60,000 unionized workers in the public and parapublic sectors.
SOURCE CSN
Daniel Pierre-Roy, CSN Communications--Public Sector, Cell: 514-588-6516
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