The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is cutting at least 97 non-teaching positions as the board faces ongoing budget challenges and declining student enrolment. The cuts, confirmed by unions on Tuesday, include 48 office, clerical, and technician roles, as well as 49 plant support positions such as custodians, skilled trades workers, and cafeteria staff.
Union Leaders Express Concern
Melodie Gondek, president of the office, clerical, and technician employees unit, stated that the net loss of 48 jobs results from central positions being declared surplus or redundant. While some new roles are proposed, they largely consolidate existing work, leading to significant downsizing driven by chronic government underfunding. Gondek emphasized that the cuts build on last year's attrition program and reflect ongoing underfunding since 2018, resulting in the loss of critical institutional knowledge and professional expertise.
Philip Battison, president of the plant support unit, reported that 49 plant support positions are being cut, with about 15 currently vacant. The reductions, effective in September, represent approximately five per cent of the unit's 730 members. Battison noted that he has proposed numerous cost-saving ideas to the provincial supervisor but stated that there is nowhere left to cut. Workers are already exhausted, and injuries are common due to the physical nature of the job.
Impact on Students and Schools
Both union leaders stressed that every job loss in education affects students, whether directly in the classroom or not. Battison highlighted that plant support workers keep schools safe, hazard-free, welcoming, and comfortable, and that added workload will negatively impact schools. Gondek added that cutting workers who support the system weakens it, leading to reduced service across the entire OCDSB community. With annual school-site enrolment reviews and more families choosing the Ottawa Catholic School Board, further surplus declarations are likely by spring.
Gondek and Battison declined to release more details until all affected members receive notification, expected by the end of Tuesday.
