CUPE Education Workers Raise Concerns Regarding PVNCCDSB Staffing Cuts
/CUPE 1453 stated that they expressed deep concerns over the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB) escalating staffing issues, which would result in the reduction of at least 23 educational assistants (EA) for the next school year, as reported on Thursday.
CUPE workers protesting in front of Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith’s Action Centre formerly located on Water Street in 2022. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
The union representing over 700 education workers at PVNCCDSB. The latter’s board stated that they are implementing staff reductions despite already facing a severe shortage of support staff, according to CUPE.
The move is unacceptable and will only exacerbate the already dangerous conditions in PVNCCDSB schools, according to Nora Shaughnessy, President of CUPE 1453.
“I am deeply concerned about the ongoing understaffing of Educational Assistants within our schools,” she said. “This chronic shortage places an immense strain on our workers, leading to significant mental and physical health challenges. Our EAs are being pushed to the limit every day—and now the Board plans to cut even more of them? It’s completely unacceptable.”
CUPE says the chronic shortage of EAs has led to escalating physical and mental health issues among staff, many of whom are working through breaks and lunches to meet the needs of students. According to a CUPE survey of Local 1453 education workers, over 96 per cent of EAs say they face violent or disruptive incidents at work and half say it happens every day. Overburdened and unsupported, EAs are facing burnout and an increased risk of workplace injury.
“Our members are forced to manage growing caseloads with fewer resources,” said Shaughnessy. “They’re running on empty—and students are paying the price,”
CUPE says this not only affects the workers but also the students. With fewer EAs in classrooms, students who rely on one-on-one or specialized support are being left behind. Classrooms are frequently evacuated due to violent episodes, disrupting the learning environment and putting both students and staff at risk.
CUPE continues to state that simultaneously, rising enrolment is adding new classrooms but without a corresponding increase in custodial staff. This means these spaces are not being properly cleaned or disinfected, compounding health and safety concerns for everyone in the school community, continued Shaughnessy.
“The Board continues to ignore the very real consequences of understaffing,” she explained. “Despite raising these issues repeatedly at health and safety and labour-management meetings, PVNC Catholic refuses to even acknowledge the workplace violence crisis unfolding in its schools.”
CUPE 1453 stresses that workplace safety must be non-negotiable and urges PVNC Catholic trustees and management to take immediate action.
PVNC says they are not reducing the number of special education workers.
They provided a statement rejecting that claim:
“The 2025–2026 budget includes funding for 300 Special Education Workers—an increase from 289 in the 2024–2025 budget. Special Education Workers include Educational Assistants, Autism Spectrum Disorder Workers and Itinerant staff.”
According to PVNC, this year’s draft budget also includes:
An increase of 3.2 full-time equivalent Special Education Teachers
Maintained staffing levels in Social Work, Speech-Language Pathology and Psychological Services.