CUPE Manitoba: Education Funding Falls Short as School Divisions Face Growing Deficits

CUPE Manitoba: Education Funding Falls Short as School Divisions Face Growing Deficits

WINNIPEG, TREATY 1 – CUPE Manitoba is disappointed in Manitoba government’s latest education funding announcement. The funding falls short of what Manitoba schools need and leaves many school divisions facing significant financial deficits as they head into a critical bargaining year.

“CUPE Manitoba appreciates the government’s commitment to public education, but this announcement fails to meet the moment,” said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “Teachers have achieved wage parity, and education support workers are next. This will put significant strain on education funding which is simply not recognized in this announcement.”
School divisions across Manitoba continue to face increasing pressures from inflation, increased enrollment, and the wage standardization process currently underway. Education support workers in rural communities have traditionally made up to 30 percent less than their urban counterparts.

“The pattern is set at fully standardized wages,” said McKay. “Education workers are already dealing with staffing shortages, workload pressures, and years of falling behind the cost of living. The province is going to need to step up to help divisions make this change, or families will face cuts.”

CUPE Manitoba represents over 5,000 education support workers, including educational assistants, clerical staff, custodians, maintenance workers, and bus drivers, as well as teachers in independent schools who play a vital role in student success.
“We want to continue working constructively with the government,” said McKay. “But CUPE members deserve and demand no less than our teaching colleagues. Our members will demand the same deal offered to teachers, and we need to see funding reflect that.”
CUPE Manitoba is calling on the provincial government to set aside wage parity funding to address the funding gap and ensure school divisions have the resources they need to provide stable, high-quality education and to negotiate fair and sustainable collective agreements during this transition period to wage parity.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 800,000 members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 40,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, home care, school divisions, municipal services, social services, disability support services, childcare centres, public utilities, libraries, and family emergency services.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Dale Edmunds, CUPE Communications / Media Contact 204-915-7429