Strike possible Thursday
School walkout imminent over N.S. reforms, teachers’ union warns
Nova Scotia’s 9,300 public school teachers could launch job action as early as Thursday if they endorse an illegal strike, the president of the province’s teachers’ union says.
Liette Doucet said the union executive will meet Wednesday to review Tuesday’s strike vote and decide whether to release the results publicly.
She said job action, including work-to-rule activities, a rotating strike or a walkout, are all options that would be on the table if teachers vote in favour of a strike.
They could also choose to take no action as they push the government to pause education reforms, Doucet said.
“If we do take job action, it will be because we want to stop this legislation,” the head of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union said Tuesday.
“We want the government to take a serious look at the concerns of teachers and the fact that the needs of our students are not being met.”
Doucet appeared confident the union will receive a strike mandate, saying the teachers “are willing to stand up for what’s right” and “fight for public education.”
“Nova Scotia schools are already in crisis,” she said.
“There is not enough support for students, teachers are not given enough time to teach and the (education) reforms will turn a crisis into a catastrophe.”
Doucet said she believed most parents support the teachers and understand the union’s actions are for students and the future of education.
Both the union and teachers would face stiff financial penalties if they go on strike while a collective agreement is in place.
Sarah Gillis, a spokeswoman for the Labour and Advanced Education Department, said there are labour board processes in place to deal with illegal strike activity.
She said illegal strike activities could lead to specific fines of up to $300 per day for the union and up to $200 per day for a union officer or representative.
However, if an illegal strike activity continues despite a Labour Board decision ordering employees to return to work, the penalty is up to $10,000 a day for the union and up to $1,000 a day for each teacher or individual, Gillis said.