Support staff in Fort McMurray’s Public and Catholic school divisions began a full strike Tuesday morning, with CUPE Locals 2559 and 2545 moving from a rotating strike.

Tuesday during the lunch hour, workers marched from MacDonald Island Park to the Provincial Building in downtown Fort McMurray. The union says members will remain on the picket lines until new contracts are in place.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill stated that the strike is a result of the province not addressing the low wages for support workers across Alberta.

According to the collective agreement, entry-level District Support workers earn just over $24 per hour, while custodians, the lowest-paid union members, earn just under $23 per hour