Union Representing School Support Staff Calls For Province To Close Schools

A union representing 4,600 school support workers says they’re not being heard by the Nova Scotia government.

The chair of CUPE Nova Scotia’s School Board Council of Unions is calling on government to provide N95 masks, and to close schools until there’s a reduction in spread of the Omicron variant.

Lisa de Molitor says government must act immediately to keep students and staff safe.

“We need to be protected, and so do our students. We need to do contact tracing, and now allow people that are known close contacts to come to work or school,” says de Molitor.

The union includes bus drivers, custodians, maintenance workers, librarians, early childhood educators and more.

“We have support staff that work directly with students with special needs, and those with compromised immune systems. We need N95 masks.”

de Molitor says there has been spread in other provinces, creating hundreds of absences in those critical positions.

She wonders what the province’s plan if there aren’t enough workers to drive busses or clean schools.

de Molitor is encouraging members to contact their local MLA.