The employees of the branch of Seine River School went on strike

Custodial staff at a Manitoba school district will go on strike next week.

Employees of the Seine River School Division, a member of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union (MGEU) Local 143, have given official notice that they plan to go on strike at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 12.

According to the MGEU, these 47 employees are on contracts that expire in July 2021. These workers are looking for a pay raise to help them keep up with the rising cost of living.

In a release, MGEU President Kyle Ross said custodial staff work hard to ensure a clean and safe work environment for students.

“They are key players in the education team and should be treated with respect and fairness,” he said.

“This includes fair wage increases that will help all members keep up with rising costs of living.”

The MGEU notes that the school division's current offer would provide custodial workers with a 9.8 percent overall pay raise over four years, which would amount to about $2 over the life of the agreement.

MGEU Local 143 voted to reject the proposal on December 9, 2023, and on December 23 supported strike action.

Ross said the union has agreed to bring in a conciliator to reach an agreement, but the bargaining committee believes a strike is necessary.

“This unit can achieve fair wages that close the huge gap between the wages of these workers and their counterparts in neighboring Winnipeg,” he said.

“We know that a deal can be reached at the table. We have proven this with many groups in the past year.

CTV News Winnipeg has reached out to the Seine River School Department for comment