Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy provides availability to the media. (Photo via Zoom)
Students across the province will begin online learning today as CUPE New Brunswick continues to strike in hopes of a better deal from the Higgs Government.
After strike action began on Friday, catching many by surprise, Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy announced classes would move online until the strike ends.
In the meantime, teachers and staff will move to home learning, similar to the process during COVID-19 outbreaks.
“This is not ideal. There is no replacement for in-person, in-class learning… We absolutely want to get back to in-class work as soon as we can, but at the same time, it’s also clear online work certainly beats nothing,” Cardy told reporters on Sunday.
Two CUPE locals locked out
The Government announced on Sunday that all non-designated employees in CUPE locals 1253 and 2745 are locked out.
This includes custodians, bus drivers, school library assistants and administrative support, and several educational assistants.
These measures “provide stability to students, parents and guardians” according to a provincial news release.
“We heard that there was some intention for maybe some schools that their staff would turn up. We wanted to make sure we had a much simpler approach,” Cardy said.
“Given that we can’t have one school where we’re not sure who’s coming to work and another where someone says they’re coming, but then they don’t, we have got to have some level of stability and predictability.”
Cardy said some sports are still permitted to maintain as much normalcy as possible.
The Minister confirmed the laptop subsidy program introduced ahead of the last school year remains in place.
CUPE Responds To Lockout
CUPE describes the government locking out education workers as a move intended to divide them and create chaos.
A statement says the premier could end the job action but instead chooses a lockout which it says will “prolong the withdrawal of services”.
It goes on to say they expect more divisive actions from the Higgs government but say CUPE members remain united.
