Teachers approve tentative contract

Nova Scotia public school teachers have green-lighted a tentative contract with the provincial government.

The deal was approved by 94.2 per cent of the teachers who voted electronically. About 73 per cent of the province's 9,300 teachers participated.

The contract will give teachers a salary increase of seven per cent over four years, with a 1.5 per cent increase retroactive to Aug. 1, 2019, a 0.5 per cent retroactive to July 31, 2020, a 1.5 per cent increase retroactive to Aug. 1, 2020, a 0.5 per cent increase on July 31, 2021, a 1.5 per cent increase on Aug. 1, 2021, and 1.5 per cent increase on Aug. 1, 2022.

The contract will expire on July 31, 2023.

“Our members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of this agreement,” said NSTU president Paul Wozney in a news release. “The diligent work of the bargaining team and this vote result indicate it's a fair and reasonable contract for public school teachers in the province.”

The agreement also increases the amount of time teachers are given for marking and preparation by 25 per cent. Effective Aug 1, 2021, teachers will have a minimum of 12.5 per cent of instructional time for marking and preparation averaged over the school year.

“Teachers haven't seen any increase in marking and prep time for 50 years and this will help to decrease the ongoing demands on teachers' time,” Wozney said.

The previous teachers' contract, which was imposed through Bill 75 in February 2017, expired on July 31, 2019.

Talks between the province and the NSTU began on May 9, 2019, with 26 meetings held between then and March 7, 2020, when talks were paused due to COVID19.

Negotiations resumed on Oct. 22 and the tentative agreement was reached early the next morning.