A first-of-its-kind deal for the province has been accepted by Manitoba teachers.
The new collective agreement encompasses all 37 English-speaking school divisions, something that was previously done by individual deals for each one.
Teachers voted 95 per cent in favour of the deal, which will see more than 12 per cent in wage increases over its four years.
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Manitoba School Boards Association President Sandy Nemeth says this new agreement comes with more financial strain on divisions.
“School boards across the province have always been very frank and open with government that the funding needs to keep up with the expenses that the school boards are grappling with and that extends into the conversations that are being had right now on a new funding model.”
Nemeth says the deal is about more than just money.
“We bend over backwards to demonstrate and to say out loud how important all of our staff members are and we want them to feel valued and respected and feel safe in school.”
The new deal will be retroactive to July 2022.