Halifax, Nova Scotia - October 12, 2016 - The Nova Scotia Teachers Union provincial executive, meeting in Halifax on October 11, has voted unanimously to conduct a strike vote among public school teachers on October 25.
“Our provincial executive explored options going forward and is strongly urging teachers to back their negotiating team and their union,” says NSTU president Liette Doucet. “Executive members were unanimous in recommending that all eligible public school teachers vote in favour of strike action,” she adds.
NSTU’s public school members voted to reject a second tentative agreement with the province on October 4. Ninety-four per cent of public school members voted 70 per cent against the deal.
“The reasons that we have decided to call for a strike vote are to protect free, fair collective bargaining, to protect quality public education and to protect learning and teaching conditions,” continues Doucet.
The NSTU president says the decision to call a strike vote was not made lightly. “With a second tentative agreement rejection, we have opted to ask members for a strong strike mandate,” Doucet adds. “Public school teachers in Nova Scotia want their voices heard within the multitude of challenges we face every day, as we work in the best interest of our students.”
Regional information meetings have been scheduled across the province for early next week. The current teachers’ contract expired on July 31, 2015. The last time the NSTU asked public school teachers for a strike mandate was in the fall of 2002.
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union represents more than 10,000 public school teachers, Community College faculty and professional support staff in Nova Scotia, and teachers who work for the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Since 1895, it has worked to improve the quality of public education for children and youth in Nova Scotia, while promoting and advancing the teaching profession.