Days of Turmoil and Confusion After Government Locks-Out Students And

Mailed under Canada Post Publications Agreement Number 40063555. ISSN 0382-408X Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 3106 Joseph Howe Drive Halifax, Nova Scotia. CANADA B3L 4L7 NOVA SCOTIA TEACHERS UNION VOLUME 55, NUMBER 3 DECEMBER 2016 Days of turmoil and confusion after government locks-out students and NSTU announces job action As of press time, NSTU’s 9,300 public An Act Respecting a Teachers’ Professional The Minister announced that Bill “The NSTU has determined that school members including classroom Agreement at 9:30 am. But at 9:30, with 75 would be shelved and that students limiting our work will help demonstrate and specialist teachers, administrators, student protestors gathering outside on would be allowed to return to school the scope of activities that teachers do school psychologists, speech language Granville Street, Minister Casey was a the next day. She claimed the decision for students that go above and beyond, pathologists, school board consultants, no-show and in her place was Liberal was made because the NSTU had agreed and those that prevent them from and other NSTU public school members House Leader Michel Samson. He to alter its directives over the course directly teaching students,” says Doucet. who work for school boards, and the announced the government was going of the day, but also admitted that her She also outlines the directives and Department of Education and Early to delay the bill a few hours, so as to department had received the details on details of the work-to-rule job action. Chilhdood Development are on a allow for “ongoing talks” between the Friday, before she made the decision to “Teacher voluntary extra-curricular Province-wide work-to-rule (WTR) job NSTU and government. This came as a lock-out students. activities and scheduled field trips will action. This is the first province-wide shock to members of the NSTU because At 2:30 pm the House adjourned, not continue during this job action. strike of teachers in Nova Scotia. there had been no talks for over a week. Bill 75 was never introduced. “Nothing In addition, public school members “Nova Scotia teachers are focusing As Samson was making his statement changed to the WTR directive between will not arrive early or stay late after exclusively on teaching our students the NSTU Executive Director received Friday and Monday and it’s clear the instructional day; complete clerical and keeping them safe,” says NSTU a call to set up a meeting with the Government made a very unpopular duties; complete data collection and president Liette Doucet. “We recognize Deputy Minister of Education and decision. Parents, teachers and students entry; attend meetings non-essential to and appreciate that this may be an Early Childhood Development. A were upset,” says Doucet. lesson planning and implementation.” inconvenience to families in Nova Scotia “We remain committed to however we believe this is a necessary negotiating a new collective agreement first action to achieve better education at the bargaining table and hope that for students in Nova Scotia for the long- Government will want to engage in a term.” real negotiation process.” It has been a tumultuous time for A chronology of negotiations that NSTU and its members, since the have taken place since the exchange of NSTU publicly announced its job asking packages on September 29, 2015 action on November 28. On December can be found on page 13. An update 1, the Minister of Education and Early for members with respect to the WTR Childhood Development Karen Casey directives and principals was sent to contradicted previous statements she members on December 2. Further had made and insinuated WTR could updates were sent on December 5 and 6. put student safety at risk. The NSTU has received a lot of The next day, December 2 at support for their job action from students approximately 5 pm, NSTU sent its and parents. Students across the province final WTR rule adjustments to the held a protest in support of teachers on Department of Education and Early December 2 and again on December 5. Liette Doucet in a scrum with reporters at Province House on Dec. 5. Childhood Development and clarified Parents, through the Parents for Nova several points, including the provision brief meeting ensued, in which the On December 6, students returned Scotia Teachers group, held a public around teacher-in-charge. government requested NSTU alter to school and teachers began following forum on November 27, and a rally In spite of this, on December 3, its WTR directives. The request was WTR directives. During work-to-rule, in downtown Halifax on December Minister Casey held a rare Saturday subsequently denied. teachers will continue to carry out 5 in support of NSTU public school morning news conference announcing At 10:00 am Michel Samson again their instructional duties in classrooms members in their struggle to improve she was locking students out of schools was in the spotlight, this time on the with students. Teachers will focus learning conditions and ensure that but requiring teachers to report. She floor of the Legislature. He immediately exclusively on teaching students in a there is an ability to engage in free, fair also announced that the House of announced that the government’s safe learning environment, preparing collective bargaining in Nova Scotia. On Assembly would resume December emergency session would be recessed and implementing lesson plans, and December 6, more than 2,000 people 5, and government would introduce temporarily. In response, Leader of the maintaining contact with parents/ attended the #Act4Ed rally hosted by the legislation imposing a contract on opposition Jamie Baillie stated: “This is guardians of students who are at risk NSTU outside Province House. NSTU’s 9,300 public school members. a farce. This government is creating a and/or have special needs. “Teachers want a healthier learning farce today and I encourage you, as an Breaking news: At press time the NSTU and Government agreed environment for students and safer Officer of this Legislature, to deny the to return to the bargaining table. schools,” comments Doucet. “It’s why request for a recess by the Government 96 per cent of our members voted in House Leader. It is bad enough that favour of this job action. The Minister’s they closed the schools, Mr. Speaker. It’s response was heavy handed and bad enough that they are hiding behind Holiday Hours unnecessary given the circumstances. safety concerns, but I want to be clear It left thousands of families scrambling – those safety concerns do not rely on Nova Scotia Teachers Union for last minute child care.” this House sitting or not sitting.” Closes at noon, December 23, 2016 & Reopens January 3, 2017 Then on Monday, December 5, a Then at approximately 1:00 pm the Johnson Inc. series of unfortunate events unfolded government sent out another media Closes December 23, 2016; Open December 28 & 29, 2016; at Province House. An early morning advisory. The House would resume at Closes at 3:30 pm, December 30, 2016; Reopens, January 3, 2017 note to editors announced Minster 2:30 pm following a news conference Casey would be holding a briefing for by Minister Casey at 2:00 pm. https://www.facebook.com/nsteachersunion http://twitter.com/NSTeachersUnion http://www.youtube.com/nstuwebcast people Staff secondment Nova Scotia Unions meet in solidarity of teachers The NSTU welcomes back Presidents and staff members from Nova Scotia’s public sector unions representing workers in Nova Louis Robitaille, who has Scotia schools met with NSTU president Liette Doucet and first vice-president Wally Fiander at been seconded to a term in the NSTU building on November 17. President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour (NSFL) member services effective Danny Kavanaugh offered support for NSTU public school members within their current labour from October 24 to July dispute on behalf of his affiliate members. 31, 2017. In July 2016, Robitaille completed an eight-month term position in member services, replacing Grant MacLean who was on deferred leave. Robitaille was also seconded to a position in member services in March 2015. Robitaille, among other duties, will be providing support for members in the Halifax Regional Representative Council. Robitaille has served as a Community College representative on the provincial executive and was also the president of the Community College Local. An adult educator for over 20 years, he has worked at NSCC’s Lunenburg Campus since 1998. He has taught in the Electronic Engineering Technician Program there, and currently teaches related subjects to the trades (math, physics, statistics, and electrical theory). He has a BSc from Waterloo (Co-op Physics Honours), received his BEd from Shown from left to right: NSTU first vice president Wally Fiander; CUPE Atlantic Regional Director Dalhousie University, and has a Master of Science in Physics from Queens Jacquie Bramwell; NSTU President Liette Doucet; CLC Atlantic Regional Director Alex Furlong; SEIU University. Prior to his teaching career he was employed with Northern Local 2 President Jackie Swaine; NSFL President Danny Cavanagh; NSGEU President Jason MacLean; Telecom in Ottawa. CUPE NS President Nan McFadgen; and SEIU Business Agent Mike Keliher. Nova Scotia Parents for Teachers Nova Scotia Parents for Teachers group, ISSN 0382-408X which started a Facebook group in mid- October and now has close to 20,000 Managing Editor: Angela Murray members held a news conference at Layout, Advertising & Circulation: Sonia Matheson Province House on November 3 to show Published eight times a year (September-June) their support of NSTU’s public school by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union members. Lead spokesperson Kate Ervine Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: says that they want government to know 3106 Joseph Howe Drive, Halifax, N.S.

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