Principals and Vice-Principals will take on extra roles at local schools with the pending education workers strike. Chair of the Renfrew County District School Board, Susan Humphries, says they will be bringing in additional non-unionized staff to help with cleaning, answering the doors, calling home for student absences, operating buzzers and other administrative roles. Humphries says they want to keep students in class, but if they can’t keep up with the increased demand they may be forced to close some schools. She adds the safety of students and staff is the main priority.
The board says in the event of a strike, secondary athletic events and inter-district games will be cancelled. All Community Use Permits will also be cancelled. All Catholic schools will remain open. The board has 12 schools with CUPE caretakers, but the board says school administration will be working diligently to complete safety and cleanliness procedures. Picket lines are planned on Monday in Pembroke at both school board offices, in Petawawa at Valour School and in Renfrew at Queen Elizabeth. Staff, students, parents, guardians and other members of the public are asked to drive with caution and respect those workers on the picket lines. The talks between CUPE and the government to prevent a strike are set to continue through the weekend.
