Edmonton Public Schools issues layoffs to nearly 1,900 staff

Edmonton Public Schools is temporarily laying off 1,868 workers or 1,740 full-time equivalents after the provincial government cut education funding by $128 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a news release Friday, the division said it lost $17.5 million ininstruction and transportation funding for May and June as a result of the Alberta government's decision to redirect money that covered the salaries of educational assistants, substitute teachers and other support staff to the pandemic response.

The layoffs, whichtake effect May 15, will affect1,094 educational assistants. Other affected staff include administrative assistants, clerks, library technicians and speech language pathology assistants.

Trisha Estabrooks, chair of the board of trustees, said the layoffs were the result of "significant" funding cuts.

"These aren't just numbers. These are real people who are valuable members of Edmonton Public Schools," Estabrookssaid during an online news conference. "These are people in our city who have families. These are people in our city who have lives."

Division superintendent Darrel Robertson said an additional 1,300 substitute teachers and 400 support staff who work on a call-in basis were issued records of employment last month after schools were closed by the province. Records of employment allow them to apply for employment insurance.

Robertson said it had been "all hands on deck" over the past several weeks as educational assistants and other staff worked with students and families as they movedto at-home learning.

He said the decision about who to layoff was made in consultation with principals, and is no reflection on their skill, dedication and professionalism.

'Phenomenal people'

Robertson told reporters a story of cafeteria staff who went to the principal of their school an hour after they received their layoff notices this morning asking if they could use remaining food to make soup and bread to give to families inneed.

"This is the kind of commitment that our staff have to our students and our community," Robertson said. "They are phenomenal people."

The cuts are the latest in a score of mass layoffsannounced since the provincial government closed schools on March 15 in a bid to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Colin Aitchison, press secretary for the education minister, said the decision to reallocate funding was not taken lightly by the government.

"The unfortunate reality is that classes are not in session as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic," he wrote in an email.

"While distance learning options are being utilized to varying degrees, these do not employ the same number of workers as when schools are physically in class. Funding will be restored to regular levels when physical classes resume."

On Thursday, Edmonton Catholic Schools announced more than 700 people would be temporarily laid offas of the end of April.

The Calgary Board of Education cut 1,900 workers earlier this month.

The province wanted school districts to issue layoffs as soon as possible so that affected workers could apply for employment insurance benefits.