School support workers to be rehired
Published Friday July 10th, 2009
Dollars | Money from learning fund to go back to classrooms
School support staff whose jobs were recently cut or reduced in hours should have their regular jobs back before the new school year starts.
Education Minister Roland Hache announced plans to reverse the $2.9-million cuts to school districts by taking money out of the $3.35-million Innovative Learning Fund.
He said the money will be used to rehire hundreds of library assistants, behavioural intervention workers and teacher assistants affected by budget reductions made by former education minister Kelly Lamrock.
Projects already promised funding from the Innovative Learning Fund will be honoured, and $1 million will remain in the fund for future projects, Hache said.
"I have spent time reviewing the department's budget with my senior officials and considering provincial fiscal realities, our greater economic context, students' needs, stakeholder concerns and the importance of innovation in the classroom," Hache said at a media conference Thursday. "I am confident that the decision to re-profile funds strikes the right balance."
Hache wouldn't say whether the $2.9 million would ensure every school support staff member would get his or her job back. But he said he will work with the unions and school districts when reintroducing those jobs.
Sandy Harding, spokeswoman for CUPE Local 2475 which represents school support staff, said she's confident the new minister will listen to her members.
"It's certainly our understanding that the cuts resulting from the $2.9 million (budget reduction) will be reversed, but I'm not certain if that will apply to all 580 jobs," Harding said.
"I am certain that we'll be part of the consultation process, and the good thing out of all this is the government now understands the value of our members in the classroom and considered us an important stakeholder."
Hache told reporters the financial future for the Education Department - like many other departments - is uncertain.
He said he can't promise there won't be more cuts to the budget.
"I would like to be able to say today that I can assure you that there will be no further cuts, but in any department that would not be a responsible thing to say," Hache said.
"This time last year, for example, who could've foreseen that there would be an economic crisis?"
Brent Shaw, president of the New Brunswick Teachers' Association, said he understands the education minister can't predict what will happen to future budgets.
But he said Thursday's announcement has assured him that Hache will consult stakeholders before making any cuts.
"I do believe he's a listener and that's very important," Shaw said. "We have made some significant gains today ... and I believe that if there are going to be (more) cuts, it'll be a difficult choice for him to make, but that he will look where we suggest before he makes cuts, and that's absolutely critical."
Opposition Education critic Claude Landry said the support staff cuts shouldn't have happened in the first place.
And as for future cuts, he said, there have been too many already.
"Finally, there is a positive announcement from this government (with regard to the rehiring of support staff), but we still have had more than $20 million in cuts to education," Landry said. "That's extremely disappointing about this government.
"If they would've listened to stakeholders in the first place, they could've avoided putting everyone through all this stress."
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This Government has to go.