The New Westminster school district’s 2021/22 budget isn’t all good news for the union representing school support staff.
Marcel Marsolais, president of CUPE Local 409, appeared in front of the school board at its May 11 meeting to ask them to reconsider some items in the budget, which is up for final adoption at the May 25 board meeting.
Marsolais said the union appreciates the creation of two full-time clerical positions at the district’s new central registration site but has concerns about the reduction in hours for school-based clerical staff. He noted nine clerical staff will have their hours reduced, eight of whom are already operating with what he termed “precarious hours.”
“Is the board aware what clerical staff do in our schools? Things are going to get back to normal; we’re going to have more and more parents and visitors. They look after the lunch program. They’re supposed to take time in the library to support the library. They take time with the parents and visitors,” he said. “I’m not sure how that’s going to affect the overall day-to-day operation for these frontline clerical workers.”
Marsolais also highlighted the issue of daytime custodians. The budget provides $90,000 for six custodians to work part-time hours during the day from September to December.
Marsolais reminded the board that three of the district’s stakeholder groups – CUPE, the New Westminster Teachers’ Union and the district parent advisory council – had all asked for daytime custodians to be returned full-time for the whole school year. Agreeing to keep them only to December, Marsolais said, is not sufficient.
“Quite frankly, that’s not prevention. That’s not a way we look after our schools,” he said.
Marsolais acknowledged the “structural deficit” the board is facing but said there’s no actual shortfall in the books this year. (The district has projected an accumulated surplus of more than $4 million by the end of this school year.)
“In fact, there is no actual deficit, so I would ask the board to please consider what I’ve said and consider the effects this may have on the overall treatment of our students and the services and the safety of our students and our staff,” he said.
CUPE Local 409 represents a range of workers across the district, including education assistants, child and youth care workers, crossing guards, noon hour supervisors, custodians, gardeners, and staff in clerical, IT and trades positions, among others.
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