Local school boards are preparing for a possible strike from the Canadian Union of Public Employees Friday.
At the Greater Essex County District School Board, the union represents 600 employees, including secretaries, clerks, custodians, maintenance, couriers, information technology technicians, and media services.
The board said it is preparing contingency plans but has not advised parents to make other arrangements for Friday. All updates from the public board can be found here.
At CSC Providence, the French Catholic board, the union represents custodians, educators, secretaries, social workers, animators, library technicians, computer technicians, programmer analysts, psychometrists, speech-language pathologists, clerks, and attendants.
The board is considering distance learning as a way to keep students engaged should a strike occur.
"Please be aware that the priority is to attempt to maintain student learning in person and if this is not possible, a distance learning service would be a likely and reasonable solution should health and safety issues become too great," said Eugénie Congi, director of education in a note to parents.
CUPE represents around 55,000 support workers throughout the province. However, the groups of employees that the union represents differ from board to board. The union issued a strike notice on Sunday.
Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board spokesman Stephen Fields told WindsorNewsToday.ca Monday evening that the board has contingency plans of its own, but is taking a wait-and-see approach as the week progresses. A complete update on the board's plans was set to be presented later Monday.
