One-day protest
N.S. teachers to hold province-wide strike
Teachers in Nova Scotia plan to strike for one day in protest to the provincial government’s move to legislate a contract.
“The complete lack of respect displayed by Stephen McNeil and his government towards teachers, students and their families has left NSTU members with no choice but to initiate a one-day province-wide walkout on Friday, Feb. 17,” a release from the union stated on Wednesday.
“In the entire 122-year history of the NSTU, our members have never faced a more anti-education premier than Stephen McNeil,” says NSTU president Liette Doucet.
“The legislation he introduced yesterday limits teachers’ right to strike, erodes their ability to negotiate a fair contract and prevents them from advocating for reforms to improve learning conditions for their students. The result is the first provincewide teacher strike ever in Nova Scotia.”
The NSTU says teachers will use the day to ensure government MLAs know the full impact of the McNeil government’s actions on Nova Scotia’s public education system and public sector workers in the province.
“We believe this legislation is unconstitutional and we owe it to our colleagues past, present and future to take this stand. Stephen McNeil says he wants to hear from teachers, so on Friday teachers will spend the day ensuring the premier and his Liberal caucus get the message – his government’s bully tactics can no longer be tolerated.”
Nova Scotia Federation of Labour President Danny Cavanagh issued a release supporting the move by teachers.
“Bill 75 is regressive and flies in the face of fair collective bargaining, something that this premier and his government apparently do not know how to do. This is consistent with the McNeil government’s welldocumented lack of respect for the collective rights of workers. A legislated contract will do nothing to improve the state of labour relations in our province.”