Heartbreaking News I Learned During Halifax EPA and School Support Staff Strike

 By Kendall Worth!

 

Over these past couple of weeks I have been following the strike of school support staff here in Halifax, and have been learning about the unfair wages they make working at their full-time jobs. EPA’s make wages of $1400 and $1500 a month, which is not much better then welfare. When you subtract the standard household rate of Income Assistance -$950.00 - from those amounts, that $550 or $450 a month, is take home pay. This strike in Halifax is not limited to EPA’s. It is also Library Assistants, and other Education support staff as well. Today as I write this BLOG post on May 22^nd 2023, I attended the rally at the Bridge organized by the striking workers.

Heartbreaking stories I learned today include:

First – A Learning Centre Teacher told me she has got 12 EPA’s in her classroom that work with her during the school day. This teacher told me that every one of those EPAs leaves work at the end of each day and goes to a second job. She told me that if these EPA’s were not going to work at a second job, then those EPA’s would not be able to pay rent and eat.

Second – Two pre-primary Teachers brought up that what they make in wages is even less that what the EPA’s make. One said her husband has to work 3 jobs 7 days a week in order for her and her family to be able to afford to live day to day, after rent is paid. This pre-primary teacher told me that she cannot take on a second because she needs to be home with her special needs son when she is not at work.

Thrid – Another EPA told me today that she is still living in her parents basement because there is nothing available where rent is affordable within the wages she makes.

Prior to attending today’s protest/Bridge walk, I also heard concerns concerns that this strike, is just the beginning. What is yet to come, with un-affordable rent, out of control inflation, and a provincial government with no interest in returning to the bargaining table? – Meaning ? They will be among the first group of working people to increase the homeless population because they are and will be in position where they cannot afford the cost of living, especially rent.

I believe that Education Staff, no matter what their position within the schools, should get paid the same as teachers. It is all about improving everyone's quality of life – see these links about Basic Income. Basic Income would mean respecting all work and all workers.

Paying everyone like teachers (who are also having difficulty paying rent in this market!!) would mean no-one would have to do thing like rent out their parents basement or take on second jobs. There is no excuse for things - like being 30 and living in parent’s basement, or having to work 2 or 3 jobs to be able to live. The work that all school staff do with the kids is just as important as what the teachers do. Tim Houston and Becky Druhan need to get back to the table or this strike is going to continue.