Our schools are failing, CUPE warns.
A recent release from CUPE emphasized an increase of “widespread violence, burnout, and lack of supports for students in North Bay schools.” It’s not just in North Bay, either, the union is finding similar issues throughout the province. CUPE says the main causes are lack of provincial funding and the inability to hire people to work – the boards are understaffed.
CUPE recently surveyed over 12,000 school workers including Educational Assistants, Early Childhood Educators, Child and Youth workers, custodians, maintenance and trades workers, and school secretaries. Of those surveyed, over 300 work in North Bay area school boards.
Trevor Russell, President of CUPE Local 1165 in North Bay, noted “The lack of funding for public education in Ontario has caused major understaffing issues in all job classifications of Local 1165 at the Near North District School Board.”
Russell added, “Our members are experiencing heightened situations of violence at work because there are not enough bodies in the room.”
See: Teachers in ‘survival mode’ as school violence spikes, educators say
All four regional school boards are suffering, CUPE’s release noted. It detailed the Near North DSB has faced a minimum of a $11 million cut to real per-pupil funding, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board faced a real per-pupil cut of over $3 million.
CUPE noted, Scolaire Catholique Franco Nord faced a real per-pupil cut of over $2 million, and Conseil Scolaire Public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario has faced a real per-pupil cut of $2 million for the 2024-2025 school year.
Of those 12,000 surveyed, 77 per cent said they are stressed due to an excessive workload, and 59 per cent say they have experienced violence or disruptive incidents while working. For educational assistants or child and youth workers, that percentage jumps to 84.
Joe Tigani, President of the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), offered a damning view – “It is abundantly clear that the education system in Ontario is at a breaking point.”
Tigani continued, “For years, the Conservative government has continued to cut billions of dollars in funding to the education sector, causing extreme understaffing, increased violence against staff and students, and our students’ needs being neglected. There is no question that the Ford government has abandoned the education sector.”
See: School underfunding leading to violence spike, teachers' unions say
The boards need more workers, both unions noted. Of those surveyed, 82 per cent responded that there are not enough people employed in their own job classification at the school board or in their school. CUPE’s study noted secretaries, custodians and maintenance staff “Are dealing with workloads that are impossible to finish within their shifts.”
Russell cautioned, “Our workers are stressed and burned out. This has to stop.”
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.