Teacher strikes could soon affect crossing guard pay

Ottawa's 300 crossing guards could start feeling the impact of the teacher walkouts on their paycheques if their contract's strike coverage runs out.

Guards get 10days of full pay each year on school strike days, according to their contract with the City of Ottawa.

After next week, with the announcement that elementary teachers are poised to takeanother two days, they'll have used up seven.

"That's getting us fairly close to capacity of being able to pay the crossing guards during rotating strike days," said Shari Black with the Ottawa Safety Council, a non-profit that manages and administers the city's guard program.

"Ultimately, if it were to continue we risk losing crossing guards; it becomes a retention issue."

• Another 2 days of elementary strikes next week

Shesaid the city's 300 guards make sure children cross safely at some 240 intersections identified as potential hazards on the way to school.

"We go through a lot of time and effort providing support and training to them," she said.

"Itwould be unfortunate if they had to leave because they needed to find other income."

Bus drivers affected

Bus driver pay isalso affected by strikes.

Drivers are paid as long as there is at least one school open on their route.

However, if all schools close then drivers can get up to ten days of full pay, followed by 75 per cent pay per day after that.

Vicky Kyriaco with the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA)consortium said bus companies continue to get paid by the school boards whether or not buses are running.

"They have tremendous costs for buses, insurance and keeping the staff on," she said. "The school boards recognize that and that's built into the contract."