Nova Scotia
Teachers Union

  

November 18, 2015

Public School Tentative Agreement

On November 12, 2015, a tentative agreement for
public school members was reached with the Province.
This tentative agreement was negotiated through a
collective bargaining process unprecedented by the
NSTU. In this round we implemented the use of lead
negotiator, Ron Pink, a partner with our law ?rm, Pink
Larkin. As well, ST members were given both the
NSTU and the Government proposals during regional
Asking Package meetings. Government also used an
external lead negotiator, Ron MacLeod.

The normal collective bargaining process was not
followed for this tentative agreement. A number of
weeks after the exchange of proposals on September
29, a senior government of?cial held discussions with
lead negotiator, which lead to the proposal that
was presented to NSTU negotiating team on November
12 at 9:00 am. 'lhe negotiating team voted to accept the
proposal and recommended acceptance to the provincial
executive. 'lhe provincial executive reviewed the
tentative agreement the afternoon of November 12, and
are recommending acceptance to public school teachers.

Our lead negotiator was made aware that Government
had prepared legislation that would impose the already
highly publicized public sector wage settlement on
teachers with a ?vewyear deal 1% and 
There were other signi?cant clawbacks outlined in the
legislation as referenced in the MinisteriAction Plonfor
Momma.- 7791? 3 R5: Renew, Reform, Rebo?n?, namely those
that appear on page 17 under Cooperation, or Negotiation
wit/7 the Now: Storm Year/gen" Union. These included: a
lengthened and restructured school day; a lengthened and

  

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restructured school year; elimination of service awards on
a go?forward basis; changes to teachers? responsibilities
for student supervision; changes to certi?cation including
approval processes; reporting to work on inclement
weather days; changes to access and distribution of
professional development funding through Article 60; and
the removal of administrators from the NSTU.

We are aware that administrators want to remain full

members of the NST because We surveyed teachers

With administrative responsibilities last June. Results
indicated a strong majority of NSTU principals, vice
principals, and school board administrators believe that
it is in the best interest of the Nova Scotia educational
system to remain full members of the NSTU. Workload
is an identi?ed'issue and proposed legislation would
have added more to the overwhelming demands already
placed on your time. We know self?directed autonomous
professional development is sacred and the proposed
changes to Article 60 would have taken that away.

The threat of legislation to settle our agreement was
real, and we have seen this government use its legislative
power to resolve other labour disputes over the last two
years.

Highlights of the Tentative Agreement are as follows:

4?year agreement with raises of 1%

and 0.5% on the ?nal day of the contract;

Service Award accrual cessation as ofjuly 31, 2015;

A renewal of the professional

committee;

All other items from Government and the NSTU

to be removed from the table.

continued over