January 13, 2025, marked the beginning of a difficult period for Edmonton Public Schools students and support staff. Students lost essential services, while staff faced income loss and diminished hope for a fair contract. Since then, reports of weather-related injuries and illnesses among striking workers have become increasingly common, raising serious questions about the strike’s impact.
The longer this drags on, the greater the hardship. Members are forced to choose between union solidarity and financial survival. The current strike pay of approximately $350 per week—roughly $17.50 an hour for a 4-hour workday—is far below pre-strike wages and unsustainable in today’s economy. While union leadership advocates for a living wage, their actions seem to be pushing members toward poverty.
The emotional toll is also significant. Daily picketing and phone banking in harsh weather are exhausting. This is compounded by a perceived lack of communication and transparency from the union. Concerns are amplified by events like the recent CUPE national takeover of a Medicine Hat local, which undermined a potential agreement and dismissed the local executive. The use of “rapid response teams” to publicly shame those who cross the picket line further contributes to a climate of fear.
CUPE 3550 members and school board employees feel trapped. They lack information about bargaining progress and feel their voices are ignored by both the local and national union. Choosing financial stability over meager strike pay results in public shaming, creating a sense of being held hostage.
Members deserve to know the truth. They deserve to regain their financial independence and their lives. Most importantly, they deserve a chance to vote on the current offer and decide their own future. CUPE 3550 and CUPE National must listen to their members. We are not pawns on a chessboard; we are individuals whose livelihoods and well-being are at stake.