Nova Scotia school support unions warn strike looms as conciliation meeting nears

HALIFAX · The unions representing Nova Scotia's public school support staff say the provincial government has shown no willingness to meet their needs, raising the risk of a strike as a final conciliation meeting approaches. The Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions, comprising eight member locals, outlined its demands to the government and employers on Monday, October 19. As of Friday, October 23, the unions said there has been no movement and no indication the government is willing to meet the needs of school support staff. They accuse the government of failing to commit the resources necessary to resolve the dispute and ensure students can continue their education without interruption.

"Government is fully aware of what it will take to settle this contract," the unions said in a statement. "It knows what is needed to address the staffing shortages, inadequate wages, workplace violence that are undermining our public schools." The unions stated that despite knowing this, the government has not acted. The statement was issued on behalf of local presidents representing approximately 7,050 workers across the province, including educational program assistants, child and youth care practitioners, and library support staff.

The unions said a final conciliation meeting with the Regional Centre for Education and Conseil Scolaire Acadien provincial employers is scheduled for Friday. "There is still time for government to make things right," the statement said. The unions added that school support workers have made their position clear. "They want to be in their schools, doing the work that students and families depend on," the statement read. "They also need a collective agreement that addresses the conditions making that work increasingly difficult."

"We have put forward a path to settlement. It is up to government to respond," the unions said. "Nova Scotia's students, families and school staff deserve an answer." The statement was signed by eight local presidents. They are Nelson Scott on behalf of the 1,400 members of CUPE 5050 in the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education, Jenny-Lynn Wardrope for the 650 members of CUPE 3890 in Chignecto Central, Andrew Weaver for the 300 members of CUPE 964 in Tri-County, and Gerrard Matthews for the 900 members of CUPE 955 in Strait Region. The other signatories are Kevin Carther for the 600 members of CUPE 3876 in Annapolis Valley, Robert Amero for the 200 members of SCFP 2272 in the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial, Shelley McNeil for the 2,800 members of CUPE 5047 in Halifax, and Floyd Seymour for the 200 members of CUPE 4682 in the South Shore Regional Centre for Education. The unions did not specify what their next steps would be if the conciliation meeting fails.

With files from Financial Post and Yahoo News