Statement on Strike Vote by Nova Scotia Teachers Union Members

NOTE: The following is a statement from Becky Druhan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development.

While I’m of course disappointed at the vote results, I’m not surprised. Teachers were put in the difficult position today of voting while bargaining is ongoing and before they know what is on the table.

Today I want to reassure parents that the outcome of this vote has no impact on school operations and does not trigger a strike. This vote is only a distraction that has caused confusion and anxiety for students and their families.

Students and families deserve an uninterrupted school year, fully engaged in learning and all the other positive experiences they have at school. I believe that teachers want to be in classrooms as well.

As I said in a letter sent to families today, we all want what is best for Nova Scotia’s students. I believe the path to improving our education system is in listening to staff who are on the ground and working with students every day. That is why I’ve joined more than 80 school staff meetings, speaking to thousands of teachers and other staff to hear and act on their insight. It’s why we introduced Ideas for Education, a program that takes teacher ideas for improving our education system and fast tracks them into pilot projects in schools. And it's why we have convened a Safety Leadership Table to work together with partners including the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU).

The government’s energy remains focused on working toward a negotiated agreement on the terms and conditions of teachers’ employment during our next meetings with the NSTU coming up on April 15 and 16.

Importantly, all of our collaborative work continues even as our bargaining team returns to the table next Monday and Tuesday to work towards a negotiated agreement on the terms and conditions of teachers’ employment that keeps students and teachers in classrooms.