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Nova Scotia Teachers Union

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Nova Scotia Teachers Union
AbbreviationNSTU
Formation1895; 129 years ago (1895)[1]
TypeTrade union
HeadquartersHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada[2]
Location
Membership
10,000[3]
President
Ryan Lutes[4]
Executive director
Steve Brooks[5]
AffiliationsCanadian Teachers' Federation[2]
Websitenstu.ca Edit this at Wikidata

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union was organized in 1895–96[6] to unify and elevate the teaching profession in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. As the unified voice for the advocacy and support of all its members, the NSTU promotes and advances the teaching profession and quality public education. Members include some 9,100 public school teachers including specialist teachers, speech language pathologists and school psychologists. It also represents teachers who work for the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.

The NSTU serves as the primary advocate of its members by protecting and enhancing economic benefits, improving working conditions, supporting personal well being, keeping members informed and promoting opportunities to participate.

During a dispute with the Nova Scotia government in 2016/17, they negotiated three contracts that they supported, however the membership rejected all three. The Nova Scotia Government has put forward a bill to legislate the teacher's new contract.

2016/2017 Strike

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In July 2015, the contract between the NSTU and the Province of Nova Scotia expired.[7] The first tentative deal was put forward by the Province (headed by at the time by Liberal Party Premier Stephen McNeil) in December of that year, with 61% of the vote voting against the deal.[8] At the time, working conditions of teachers were said to be a major factor in the decision, with then Union President Shelley Morse quoted as saying “You know about the situation in some of the schools, in Halifax they’re in disrepair, teachers don’t have proper resources, their classrooms some of them are bulging, we have upwards of 40 students in a class... So they wanted to see those issues addressed.”.[8] A tentative agreement was reached in September of that year, with then Union President Lisa Doucet voting in favour, but was rejected by the Union in October.[9][7][10] A strike mandate vote was also held at the same time as the second rejection, and was passed by 96% majority.[11]

In late November 2016, the NSTU and the province resumed talks, this time accompanied by a conciliator (the NSTU had also requested a mediator, though this was denied by the Nova Scotia Department of Labour[12]).[10] Despite this, these talks also proved fruitless. Until this point, the day-to-day operations of schools in the province had been unaffected.[10] On November 22, 2016, the province sent a letter to parents of children attending Nova Scotia public schools warning them of a potential of a strike.[13][14]

On December 5, 2016, teachers in Nova Scotia began work-to-rule.[15] Originally, teachers were to arrive at school twenty minutes before the school day started, left 20 minutes after it ended, and not supervise students on lunch breaks, which led the province to close schools, citing safety concerns.[16][15] Slight adjustments were then made, allowing schools to reopen the next day, though work-to-rule remained in place, meaning, for example, extracurricular activities, such as Christmas concerts, sports, and clubs remained cancelled.[15][16] Work-to-rule was temporarily lifted in late January 2017, but was back in place by the month's end.[17] In response, local universities began to wave entrance requirements for letters of reference.[18]

Talks continued between the province and the NSTU, but no agreement was reached. In mid-February 2017, the province introduced Bill 75, which would have forced a contract onto teachers. In response, the NSTU held a one-day strike on Friday, 17, February 2017.[19] This was the first strike in the NSTU's then 122-year history.[19]

This strike did not prevent the passing of Bill 75, technically bringing an end to the contract negotiation that had begun in 2015.[20] However, the NSTU continued to be unhappy with the bill, and in May 2017 announced its intent to file a charter challenge with Nova Scotia's attorney general.[21]

Another result of the strike was the filing of a lawsuit by several Nova Scotia universities (Acadia, Cape Breton, Mount Saint Vincent, St. Francis Xavier and Sainte-Anne) with the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia over the interruption of student-teacher practicums during work-to-rule.[22]

Presidents

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  • Robert MacLellan of Pictou Academy, 1895-Unknown. Inaugural President[23]
  • David Soloan, 1903-Unknown[23]
  • Tom Parker, During or before 1949-1954, then became first Executive Secretary (Director)[23]
  • Karen Willis Duerden, 1990s[23]
  • John MacDonald, Unknown, was President in 1994[23]
  • Liette Doucet, 2016-2018[24][25]
  • Paul Wozney, 2018-2022[26]
  • Ryan Lutes, 2022–Present[27]

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Poole 1999, p. 701.
  2. ^ a b "Member and Associate Organizations". Canadian Teachers' Federation. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  3. ^ "About Us". Nova Scotia Teachers Union. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Provincial Executive". Nova Scotia Teachers Union. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Staff Directory". Nova Scotia Teachers Union. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  6. ^ Nova Scotia Teachers Union 2001, pp. 1, 5.
  7. ^ a b "Nova Scotia Teachers Union reaches tentative agreement with province - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b "NS public school teachers reject tentative agreement - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ^ "2nd tentative agreement in jeopardy days before Nova Scotia teachers set to vote - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "Contract talks with Nova Scotia teachers and government collapse, job action 'likely' - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Nova Scotia teachers vote in favour of strike mandate - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  12. ^ "N.S. labour minister won't appoint mediator in ongoing dispute with teachers - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  13. ^ "N.S. warns parents to prepare for teachers' strike after December 5". Atlantic. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Nova Scotia warns parents to come up with a plan in case teachers strike - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Nova Scotia teachers to start work-to-rule next Monday - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Nova Scotia schools to reopen Tuesday, work-to-rule still in place | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Nova Scotia teachers returning to work-to-rule Monday - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Work-to-rule causing roadblocks as Nova Scotia teachers, government return to talks - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Nova Scotia teachers to hold one-day strike Friday to oppose legislation | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  20. ^ "What is the new normal as Nova Scotia teachers adjust to legislated contract? - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Nova Scotia Teachers Union file notice for charter challenge of Bill 75 - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  22. ^ "5 universities taking Nova Scotia Teachers Union to court over work-to-rule - Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  23. ^ a b c d e Poole 1999, pp. 698–725
  24. ^ "Teachers 'want a strong voice': Liette Doucet set to take helm of union - Halifax". Global News. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  25. ^ von Stackelberg, Marina (31 May 2018). "New NSTU president says union has 'work to do' to re-establish its credibility". CBC News. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Nova Scotia Teachers Union will elect a new president next week". CBC News. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Nova Scotia Teachers Union elects new president after close race". CBC News. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2024.

Bibliography

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Further reading

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  • Fergusson, Norman H. (1990). The Story of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union: From the Formation of the Old Union in 1895 to the 1980s. Armdale, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Teachers Union. ISBN 978-0-9690983-6-2.
  • McCormick, Paul (2012). Conflict and Collegiality: The Nova Scotia Teachers Union, 1984–2012. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Nova Scotia Teachers Union. ISBN 978-0-9879407-0-4.
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