Tentative agreement will see schools reopen Monday in Victoria-area district

VICTORIA – Schools will reopen Monday in the Victoria area after a tentative agreement was reached between support workers and the district.

Support workers, including education assistants and custodians, at 18 schools in the Saanich district have been on strike over wages since Oct. 28, leaving about 7,000 students out of class.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 441, which represents the school workers, says the union and School District 63 reached a tentative agreement on Saturday.

Union members will hold a ratification vote Sunday, but the union says picket lines will come down and schools will reopen Monday in a show of good faith.

The union says in a statement it will not comment on details of the tentative agreement until after the ratification vote is complete.

Local CUPE president Dean Coates says the strike has been difficult and the union is pleased to have an agreement the bargaining committee is recommending for acceptance.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2019.