VICTORIA - A tentative deal has been reached between the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 411 and the Saanich School District after a strike over wages that has lasted weeks.
Roughly 7,000 students have been locked out of the classroom for more than half a month after a strike notice was handed down on Oct. 25.
The sticking point between the union and the school district was over wage parity. Specifically, support workers in the Saanich school district are paid significantly less than those doing comparable work in nearby Victoria and Sooke.
On Saturday, CUPE 441 president Dean Coates told CTV News Vancouver Island that a tentative deal has been reached.
“We are meeting this weekend with the membership to ratify it,” said Coates.
In a show of good faith, Coates said they will taking down all picket lines as of Monday and school will be back on.
“I am happy to recommend it to my members,” said Coates.
No details about the deal are being provided at this time.
Saanich School District has posted on its website that school will be open as of Monday for regular instruction.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
