Education support workers are the backbone of our schools, but most can’t make ends meet. In August, I told the Premier about Charity. She was the full-time education support worker who relied on food banks to help feed her children—food banks, Speaker. I asked the Premier then if he would commit to a pay increase so that education support workers like Charity wouldn’t have to rely on food banks, and today that answer is a resounding no.

The Conservative government is set to impose a contract on education support workers, denying them the right to bargain a fair wage. Speaker, why does the Conservative government think it’s acceptable to force workers to work for so little?

Last week, I met with a roomful of education support workers, and Kori was one of them. She is a single mom of two. She loves her job as a cleaner and works hard to ensure that students are safe and that they have a healthy school environment. Kori told me she recently had to move in with her parents just to make ends meet. Kori is underpaid and she’s overworked, Speaker. She wants a fair wage so she can support her children while doing a job she loves—a job that is important.

Will the Conservative government and the minister finally recognize that education support workers like Kori deserve more than a nickel so they can support students’ success?

Speaker, this is not how you build a quality education system. Our kids will have less support in schools if the Premier keeps chasing away education workers with these poverty wages. CUPE will be at the table all week, ready to negotiate with the Conservative government. Will this government commit to not tabling pre-emptive legislation and instead return to the table and bargain a fair deal that will invest in our schools and education support workers?