Teachers union prepared to strike

Nova Scotia Teachers Union members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate just days before negotiations with the province and a conciliator begins.

In a province-wide vote Thursday, 98 per cent of public-school teachers voted for strike action.

Ryan Lutes, union president, likened the event to a referendum on the state of public education by teachers who know the system.

“They need to see some action on improving public education, improving teachers’ and students’ priorities at the bargaining table for us to get a deal,” said Lutes on Friday.

“My hope is that government sees that 98 per cent of teachers are willing to stand up and say enough is enough. We need things to improve in our schools.”

The union represents more than 10,000 public-school teachers, including substitute teachers eligible to vote. The union and the province are scheduled to begin bargaining with a conciliator on Monday and Tuesday. The union’s major areas of concerns include escalating violence in the classroom, compensation, workload and burnout, recruitment and retention and mental health supports for students.

So far, the government has dismissed the union’s priority areas, says Lutes.

“We’ve not had any meaningful discussions about any of the priorities,” he said.

The president wouldn’t offer any specific details on what a fair agreement would look like, saying he didn’t want to negotiate in the media.

Lutes says he empathizes with parents and students who are concerned about the possibility of a work stoppage. That’s not what members want either, he says.

“We’re focused on conciliation,” said Lutes. “I’m 100 per cent focused on getting a deal on the bargaining table but, unfortunately, if government is going to continue dismissing teachers and students’ priorities then that bring us closer to potential job action.”

Provinces across the country are grappling with serious teacher shortages. In Nova Scotia, most teachers have considered quitting because of burnout and workload, according to a survey conducted by the union earlier this year. Half of teachers have reported being a victim of violence. Right now, the province’s auditor general is working on a report into violence in schools.

MINISTER DISAPPOINTED

After Thursday’s vote, Education Minister Becky Druhan released a statement calling it “only a distraction that has caused confusion and anxiety for students and their families.”

“Students and families deserve an uninterrupted school year, fully engaged in learning and all the other positive experiences they have at school. I believe that teachers want to be in classrooms as well,” she said.

The minister said she was disappointed with the result but wasn’t surprised. She said teachers were put in the difficult position of voting while bargaining is ongoing and before knowing “what is on the table.”

“I believe the path to improving our education system is in listening to staff who are on the ground and working with students every day.”

The minister also said she’s attended more than 80 school staff meetings and spoken to thousands of teachers and other staff to hear and act on their input.

She said the government’s energy remains focused on working toward a negotiated agreement that keeps students and teachers in classrooms.

A strike won’t happen overnight. Negotiations would have to fail and one side would have to ask the conciliator to file a report. There’s a 45-day period after the report is delivered before a work stoppage can happen.

CROSSROADS

“My hope is that government sees that 98 per cent of teachers are willing to stand up and say enough is enough. We need things to improve in our schools.” Ryan Lutes Union president

Wayne Mackay, a Dalhousie law school professor and expert in education law, says the province has hit a crossroads where it’s being forced to deal with new, bigger challenges brought about by the pandemic and social media.

“There’s a subtle and slowburning trauma that came out of the COVID period that’s affected how students interact with other students, with teachers,” said Mackay. “That and the generally negative effects of social media on how people learn,” said Mackay.

“These are all major new challenges for teachers to face on top of what they’ve always dealt with in the school setting.”

He said it’s up to the province to find solutions to these issues, starting with productive negotiations with the teachers’ union.