Education support workers from CUPE locals across Saskatchewan rallied today outside the office of the Minister of Education, calling on the provincial government to address low wages, unsafe working conditions, and the lack of respect for the critical role they play in Saskatchewan schools.
The rally took place during the CUPE Saskatchewan Education Workers’ Steering Committee (EWSC) Annual Conference in Swift Current, which brought together education support workers from across the province.
“Respect means more than words,” said Karla Sastaunik, Chair of the CUPE Saskatchewan EWSC. “It means fair compensation, meaningful hours of work, safer workplaces, and recognition of our vital contribution to public education in this province.”
Speakers at the rally included Matt Love, Shadow Minister for Education, Karla Sastaunik, Chair of the CUPE Saskatchewan Education Workers’ Steering Committee, and Kent Peterson, President of CUPE Saskatchewan.
“Education support workers are seeing their scheduled hours reduced while their workloads keep growing,” said Peterson. “These cuts aren’t accidental – they’re a choice that leaves workers struggling to get by and schools scrambling to fill the gaps. You can’t slash hours, ignore safety, and claim to care about public education. Fair pay, stable hours of work, and safe schools are the bare minimum.”
CUPE represents over 7,000 education support workers in Saskatchewan.
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