​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 represents a number of education workers throughout the Lambton Kent District School Board.

Updates regarding CUPE contract negotiations will be posted on this webpage.​

For more information, refer to the Collective Agreement.​​

Contract Negotiations Update – December 5, 2022

Education workers represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in Ontario have ratified the central collective agreement with the Ministry of Education and the Ontario Public School Boards' Association. Local collective bargaining between the Lambton Kent District School Board and CUPE Local 1238 is ongoing.

Updates regarding the CUPE contract negotiations will be posted on this webpage. ​

Today, the Ministry of Education and the trustees' association announced they have reached a tentative provincial agreement with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). As such, all Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) schools and facilities, except Brooke Central Public School, will be open to students on Monday, November 21, 2022.

We thank you for your patience and support through the uncertainty of the past week.

Please continue to visit the LKDSB website​ for all labour relations updates.​

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.​

Contract Negotiations Update - November 16, 2022 - 3:10 p.m.

The Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) has been notified that members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 will join their colleagues across the province in a legal strike involving a full withdrawal of services in Ontario schools, effective Monday, November 21, 2022 unless there is progress at the central bargaining table with the Ministry of Education and the trustees' association.

Student safety is the top priority for the LKDSB. If the strike proceeds, CUPE staff will not report to work. In our schools and across our system, CUPE represents custodians, early childhood educators, educational assistants, secretaries, library and computer technicians and other school-based and central staff members. A full strike would mean none of these important supports for schools would be in place and the LKDSB will not be able to safely operate our schools.

If an agreement is not reached, all LKDSB schools will be closed to students on Monday, November 21, 2022.
 
Secondary students: All students in secondary schools who are enrolled in in-person learning will transition to synchronous teacher-led remote learning on Monday, November 21, 2022 and for the duration of the strike action with a full withdrawal of services.

Elementary students: All students in elementary schools who are enrolled in in-person learning will transition to asynchronous learning on Monday, November 21, 2022 and to synchronous learning on Wednesday, November 23, 2022 for the duration of the strike action with a full withdrawal of services.
 
Synchronous remote learning includes live, online teacher-led lessons. Students will receive instructions about their transition to synchronous virtual learning as per their typical means of school communication.

LKDSB elementary and secondary virtual learning programming will continue as scheduled, as well as off-site and online learning programs.

Please continue to check the LKDSB website up to and including Monday morning for updates regarding whether schools will be closed to students beginning Monday, November 21.

Please contact the school to discuss any concerns related to your child's learning, including access to a device or reliable internet. Please note: Due to limitations related to the full withdrawal of services by CUPE staff, LKDSB devices may not be available for all students and other arrangements may need to be made to support the continuation of students' learning.

On Thursday, November 17, students should take home any personal items (e.g. eyeglasses, medications, etc.) or materials needed to participate in synchronous remote learning.

We appreciate that there may be significant impacts on your family. Families are strongly encouraged to explore alternate child care arrangements in the event a strike occurs. If you have any mental health and well-being concerns about your child, please contact the LKDSB Mental Wellness Team (MentalWellness@lkdsb.net) or contact the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free).

LKDSB is hopeful a fair agreement can be reached and the full strike action will be avoided.

We will provide an update to families, staff and students as more information becomes available.

Please continue to visit the LKDSB website​ for all labour relations updates.​

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.​

Today, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 notified Lambton Kent District School Board its members will report to work as scheduled on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. As such, all Lambton Kent District School Board schools and facilities will be open to students on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

We thank you for your patience and support through the uncertainty during the past week. LKDSB is hopeful a fair collective agreement can be reached.

Please continue to visit the LKDSB website​ for all labour relations updates.

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.

Contract Negotiations Update - November 4, 2022 - 3:50 p.m. - Labour relations update regarding student learning November 7-11​​

As of 3:50 p.m. on Friday, November 4, 2022​, the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) has not been informed that Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 staff intend to report to work on Monday, November 7, 2022. LKDSB believes CUPE 1238 staff are likely to continue to participate in a provincial political demonstration with full withdrawal of service. It is possible the political demonstration will continue beyond Monday and into the week of November 7-11, 2022. As such, important supports for schools would not be in place and the LKDSB will not be able to safely operate our schools. 

In the event the political demonstration continues on Monday, November 7, 2022, all LKDSB schools will continue to be closed to students on Monday, November 7, 2022 and for the duration of the political demonstration. Students will transition to asynchronous remote learning on Monday, November 7. Asynchronous lessons do not include a live component and may be completed when students are available to access the lessons. Teachers will notify students of when they will be available for live support daily.

All teachers have been asked to develop an online presence to facilitate student learning. Students will receive instructions about their transition to asynchronous virtual learning as per their typical means of school communication. We understand that due to families' child care needs or access to devices and reliable Internet service, not all students may be able to participate in asynchronous remote learning. Senior Administration is reviewing this as part of its planning for the week of November 7-11. Due to limitations related to the full withdrawal of services by CUPE staff, LKDSB devices will only be distributed if the school closures are prolonged.

Any students who need access to personal items (e.g. eyeglasses, medications, etc.) left at school, or materials needed to participate in asynchronous remote learning, should contact the classroom teacher to make arrangements through the school office.

LKDSB elementary and secondary virtual learning programming will continue as scheduled, as well as off-site and online learning programs.
 
In our schools and across our system, CUPE represents custodians, early childhood educators, educational assistants, secretaries, library and computer technicians and other school-based and central staff members.

On Thursday, November 3, 2022, the Government of Ontario passed legislation called the Keeping Students in Class Act, which removes the right to a legal strike and legislates a four-year provincial collective agreement for CUPE education workers.

Please continue to monitor the LKDSB website (www.lkdsb.net) regularly for up-to-date information including updates up to and including the morning of Monday, November 7, 2022. If you have a specific question about your child, please contact your school principal. If you have any mental health and well-being concerns about your child, please contact the LKDSB Mental Wellness Team (MentalWellness@lkdsb.net) or contact the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free).

The LKDSB is hopeful for a resolution in a timely manner. The LKDSB will continue to update parents/guardians and all stakeholders as soon as new information becomes available.​

Please visit the LKDSB website for update-to-date information regarding contract negotiations.​​​​

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.

Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) was notified that members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 would join their colleagues across the province in a legal strike involving a full withdrawal of services in Ontario schools, effective Friday, November 4, 2022. On Monday, October 31, the Government of Ontario introduced legislation called the Keeping Students in Class Act, which if passed, would remove the right to a legal strike and legislates a four-year provincial collective agreement for CUPE education workers.

Based on the knowledge to date, the LKDSB is anticipating CUPE staff will participate in a provincial political demonstration and will not report to work on Friday, November 4, 2022. As such, important supports for schools would not be in place and the LKDSB will not be able to safely operate our schools. In our schools and across our system, CUPE represents custodians, early childhood educators, educational assistants, secretaries, library and computer technicians and other school-based and central staff members.

As such, all LKDSB schools will be closed to students on Friday, November 4, 2022.Should the disruption to learning continue during the week of November 7-11, schools will remain closed to students. Please continue to check the LKDSB website regularly for up-to-date information including updates on virtual programming should the political demonstration continue into next week.

Students engaged in elementary and secondary virtual learning program continue as scheduled on Friday, November 4.​ ​

The LKDSB is hopeful for a resolution in a timely manner.

Please visit the LKDSB website for update-to-date information regarding contract negotiations.​​​

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.

The Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) has been notified that members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1238 will join their colleagues across the province in a legal strike involving a full withdrawal of services in Ontario schools, effective Friday, November 4, 2022 unless there is progress at the central bargaining table with the Ministry of Education and the trustees' association. Today, the Ontario government introduced legislation that, if passed, would prevent a strike.

Student safety is the top priority for the LKDSB. If the strike proceeds, CUPE staff will not report to work. In our schools and across our system, CUPE represents custodians, early childhood educators, educational assistants, secretaries, library and computer technicians and other school-based and central staff members. A full strike would mean none of these important supports for schools would be in place and the LKDSB will not be able to safely operate our schools.

If an agreement is not reached this week or if the Ontario government legislation does not pass and the strike proceeds, all LKDSB schools will be closed to students on Friday, November 4, 2022. Please continue to check the LKDSB website throughout the week and including Friday morning for updates regarding whether schools will be closed to students beginning Friday, November 4, 2022.

We appreciate that there may be significant impacts on your family. Families are strongly encouraged to explore alternate child care arrangements in the event a strike occurs.

LKDSB is hopeful an agreement can be reached and the full strike action will be avoided.

We will provide an update to families, staff and students as more information becomes available.

Please visit the LKDSB website for update-to-date information regarding contract negotiations.​​

Download a copy of Director Howitt's letter to parents/guardians.

Today, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario announced that in the absence of a negotiated settlement, its members will begin a full withdrawal of services (strike action) in Ontario schools beginning Friday, November 4, 2022 unless there is progress at the central bargaining table. Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) is currently reviewing what the impacts of this strike action would mean in our schools.

Please visit the LKDSB website for update-to-date information regarding contract negotiations.​