Province and Teachers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

The province and the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU), representing public school teachers, announced today, March 8, that they reached a tentative contract agreement on Tuesday, March 7.

The union's bargaining team will now recommend to its provincial executive the contract be accepted. Regional meetings with union members are expected to begin immediately following March break.

"This is good news," said acting Education Minister Angus MacIsaac. "Both parties worked hard to reach an agreement in principle without any disruption to student learning."

"Given the labour strife we have recently seen in other provinces, both sides can take pride in successfully reaching a tentative deal through the collective bargaining process," said NSTU president Mary-Lou Donnelly.

The teachers' contract expired on July 31, 2005. There were 28 bargaining sessions since April 2005, including seven days of conciliation.

Details of the tentative agreement will not be released until the agreement is ratified.

There are about 10,000 teachers in Nova Scotia.