Toronto, ON – Frontline education workers and concerned community members have been calling and emailing Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustees in advance of the board’s meeting on Wednesday afternoon, urging trustees to pass a no-cuts budget.
On June 8, the TDSB’s Finance, Budget, and Enrolment Committee rejected a proposed budget containing cuts that was presented by senior management.
At a special meeting of the same committee on June 20, trustees voted to refer without recommendation a budget containing approximately 367 frontline education worker cuts to the full board for consideration.
The cuts, if endorsed during a meeting of all TDSB trustees today, will mean the loss of 138 designated early childhood educators, 81 lunchroom supervisors, 78 special needs assistants, 38 educational assistants, 22 elementary school secretaries, and six outdoor educational specialists.
“The lowest-paid education workers should not be cut,” said John Weatherup, president of Toronto Education Workers/CUPE Local 4400. “Frontline education workers are paid only $39,000 on average and they’re the reason every school actually runs, the reason students get the supports necessary for success.”
“It’s time for TDSB trustees to stand up with us and with parents to demand better funding, and pass a no-cuts budget,” urged Weatherup.
Toronto Education Workers/Local 4400 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees is the union of 17,000 education workers at the Toronto District School Board, childcare workers at childcare centres throughout the Toronto, and caretakers at Viamonde French school board. CUPE Local 4400 members proudly serve their communities in over 400 job classifications at more than 1,000 worksites.
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Contacts:
John Weatherup Ken Marciniec
President CUPE Communications
Toronto Education Workers/CUPE Local 4400 [email protected]
416-902-9266 (cell) 416-803-6066 (cell)
KM/kk:cope491
