School District 43 support staff were back on the job today, Monday, as picket lines were down at Tri-City school facilities.
But what will happen the rest of the summer is still up in the air.
SD43 support staff who are members of CUPE Local 561, including custodians and clerical workers, were allowed in schools Monday to start the end-of-the-year cleaning and other routines, according to superintendent Tom Grant.
Meanwhile, parents and school districts awaited word on whether today's June 30 deadline for a government contract proposal to the BC Teachers Federation would be met that provided teachers with a $1,200 signing bonus.
Grant confirmed that School District 43 would decided Thursday, July 3 whether to proceed with summer school for more than 5,000 students who signed up. Although a Labour Relations' Board decision last week ruled summer school was essential for students in Grades 10 to 12 who failed courses and couldn't retake them, very few students in SD43 were affected and Grant said he expected students requiring remedial help could get their their educational needs met in the fall
It appears the province and the BC Teachers' Federation remain far apart on wages, class size and composition issues.
