Membership

Categories of Membership

Members of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union consist of active members, retired members, associate members, reserve members, and honourary members.

Active Member

(a) An Active Member is a teacher:

(i)   as described in Section 12 of the Teaching Profession Act; or,

(ii) employed by the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA); and,

(iii) pays an annual Union Membership Fee as fixed from time-to-time by Council.

(b) The rights of Active Membership shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the right to:

(i)   benefits as provided through NSTU as bargaining agent;

(ii)  request legal assistance in instances resulting from problems arising in the performance of duties;

(iii) professional counselling within education;

(iv) vote and hold office at the local and provincial level;

 (v) attend Council as outlined in Article II of these By-Laws;

(vi) membership in Professional Associations, including the right to hold office;

(vii)  membership in the NSTU Group Insurance Plan, in accordance with the provisions of the plan;

(viii) membership on NSTU committees, where elected or appointed;

(ix) access NSTU publications and materials, as assigned, on the NSTU website; and,

(x)  an NSTU web mail account.

(c) Failure to pay Union Membership Fees will not limit contractual rights as long as a contractual and legal relationship exists with the bargaining unit employer.

 Reserve Member

(a) A Reserve Member is a teacher or other qualified person engaged on a day-to-day basis to take the place of a person regularly employed as a teacher by an Education Entity as defined by the Education Act, who has been employed as such for not less than fifteen (15) days in the preceding and/or the current school year, and who:

(i) is employed on a day-to-day basis by an education entity as defined by the Education Act to take the place of a regularly employed teacher;

(ii) pays an annual Union Membership Fee as fixed from time-to-time by Council; and,

 iii) pays per diem Union Membership Fees as fixed from time-to-time by Council.

For further information on Reserve Membership click here . 

Retired Member

A Retired Member may be a person who has retired under a provision of the Teachers’ Pension Act. A Retired Member may be a person included in the Faculty and Professional Support Bargaining Units of the Nova Scotia Community College who has retired under a provision of the Public Service Superannuation Plan.

Associate Member

1. an active member on leave of absence;
2. a member of the faculty of a provincial university; or
3. an education student at a university;

Associate membership in the NSTU is available to active members on leave of absence, education students and members of faculty at provincial universities and persons holding a teachers' certificate or vocational teachers' certificate teaching in a non-core program in the Nova Scotia Community College. To apply for associate membership, download the application form (2024-2025), or to apply and remit payment online, click here (2024-2025)

Honourary Member

An Honourary Member is a person upon whom the honour has been conferred by a resolution of Council.

Other Member

1. Persons who are not automatically members of the Union pursuant to Section 12 of the said Act and who are qualified to be active, retired, reserve or associate members as defined may make application for membership to the Executive Director who shall submit such applications to the Executive which may then accept such applications if it deems the qualifications have been met.
2. A person who is qualified to be an Active Reserve Member or a Regular Reserve Member, but who is not a member of the NSTU, is not entitled to any rights of membership in the NSTU. Such persons shall pay Union fees on a per diem basis as fixed from time to time by Council.