Nova Scotia’s premier is defending his government’s closure of public schools and is calling out the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) for poorly representing its membership.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia schools to reopen Tuesday, work-to-rule still in place
In a lengthy interview with Global News Tuesday, Stephen McNeil maintained student safety was the driving force behind his government’s decision to close schools to students on Monday.
McNeil maintains that despite rumours of dissent in the Liberal caucus, MLAs were onside through the process, and with the bill the government intended to table Monday that would have imposed a contract on the province’s unionized teachers.
“This is not the first labour bill that I’ve put through this house, or would have put through, it’s not the first time that members have had concerns about labour bills going through, but they support the government at the end of the day,” he said.
That contentious bill was put on hold Monday morning, with Eduation Minister Karen Casey announcing hours later that schools would be reopening after learning the NSTU had changed its work-to-rule directives to principals and teachers.
READ MORE: No surprises in N.S. government’s shelved back-to-work bill for teachers
Teachers and principals were originally not going to arrive at school 20 minutes before the start of classes. They would leave 20 minutes after the final bell. They were also not to supervise students at lunch and recess breaks.
Union not representing membership
McNeil also said the NSTU isn’t representing their membership well as the two sides try to reach a deal.
“Here’s my challenge – teachers across this province are telling me it’s the classroom, the union isn’t – the union is not reflecting their membership,” he said.
In a work-to-rule clarification sent from the NSTU to union members Friday, those directions were changed to allow principals, or a teacher in charge, to assume supervision duties that were previously considered off limits.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia public split on who to support in teachers dispute: poll
Despite the union maintaining the clarifications were sent Friday, McNeil said they went forward with closing schools because they “had to be confident principals could do their job,” which involved conversations with superintendents.
McNeil also said that while government wasn’t involved in contract talks with the union Monday, they were discussing student safety with them.
“We had our staff working with their staff,” McNeil said.
Not surprised by backlash
McNeil said he was “stunned” by the language used on social media by Nova Scotians discussing the ongoing dispute, but said he isn’t surprised to see backlash in light of recent government moves.
“Every decision I make creates a … you know, so there is a level of backlash,” McNeil said.
“They impact people, there’s no question, we knew that, but my job was to be … it was about kids safety for me.
“The superintendents came to me and said, came to our government and said, ‘I can’t guarantee their safety on Monday, what do I do?'”
No end in sight
Both the government and union remain entrenched in the ongoing labour dispute, with no more talks scheduled. McNeil said the government continues to hold its line.
“I’m living within a fiscal envelope that says ‘this is all I have,'” McNeil said Tuesday.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia teachers’ 16 contract demands and what the province says they cost
He added that government remains at the bargaining table willing to talk with the union, while at the same time maintaining that “our fiscal plan is our fiscal plan.”
“We have a collective agreement that we’ve negotiated fairly, it will be the agreement for us when it comes to the funding side.” he said.
“But we are ready and prepared to make changes in the classroom, we are ready and prepared to work on the workload that is being provided to teachers.”
In the meantime, students went back to school Tuesday under their first day of work-to-rule, and McNeil says there’s no resolution yet for parents, students or for teachers.
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