Date: Apr. 12th, 2024 - 10:07 AM
Ryan Lutes is the president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union. (Nova Scotia Teachers Union YouTube channel)
Nova Scotia teachers and educational specialists have voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action, on the eve of conciliation talks with the Nova Scotia government.
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union released the results Thursday evening of the provincewide electronic vote by 10,313 NSTU members.
Ryan Lutes is the teachers union president. He called the strike vote a “resounding wakeup call to government.”
“The potential of job action is not something that teachers take lightly,” he said in a video statement posted to the NSTU website.
“Nobody wants a strike. But teachers are frustrated by rapidly declining conditions inside our schools and by government’s lack of attention to provide safe and healthy learning environments for students.”
Negotiations began last June.
Lutes said teachers would prefer not to strike, but they will take job action unless the Nova Scotia government addresses their concerns.
In a union survey by 2,534 members in March and April 2023, 55 per cent said they had been the victim of a violent act or threat at work, while 92 per cent said that they’d witnessed violence “first-hand at school.” Nova Scotia’s auditor general is investigating the issue of school violence.
A union survey of 3,519 members in February found that 84 per cent of teachers have considered leaving the profession in the past five years because of burnout, high workload, lack of resources, lack of respect from government and concerns about school violence.
“Teachers want to see an end to the escalating levels of violence they and their students are experiencing,” Lutes said.
“They want to see resources allocated to help solve the mental health crisis inside our schools. They want to see a plan to eliminate the teacher shortage that focuses on retention and ensures our substitutes aren’t amongst the lowest paid in Canada. And teachers want the government to come to the table and be prepared to negotiate a fair contract in the best interest of students and teachers but so far that just hasn’t been the case.”
The union has not revealed what kind of a salary increase they’re seeking. According to Statistics Canada, the median hourly wage for secondary school teachers in Nova Scotia in 2022 was $41.76. The national median hourly wage was $45.30.
Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s minister of education and early childhood development, said in a statement released Thursday evening that she is disappointed by the vote result, but not surprised.
“Teachers were put in the difficult position today of voting while bargaining is ongoing and before they know what is on the table,” Druhan said.
“Today I want to reassure parents that the outcome of this vote has no impact on school operations and does not trigger a strike. This vote is only a distraction that has caused confusion and anxiety for students and their families.”
Lutes said the union has shared the government’s opening offer with teachers. He said their offer has gotten worse since negotiations began.
“It’s time to fix our schools, and our kids deserve better. It’s my sincere wish that government will see the results and come back to the table prepared to engage in meaningful discussions.”
Druhan said the province is committed to getting a deal done while keeping teachers and students in school.
“The government’s energy remains focused on working toward a negotiated agreement on the terms and conditions of teachers’ employment during our next meetings with the NSTU.”
Negotiators for the government and the union return to the table on Monday and Tuesday with the help of a provincial conciliator.
Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com