Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) announced Wednesday evening that 9,300 public school teachers have endorsed a tentative agreement reached between members and the provincial government on Oct. 23 that would give teachers a salary increase.
In a province-wide electronic vote held Wednesday, the NSTU said that 73 per cent of teachers voted 94.2 per cent in favour of the tentative deal.
“Our members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of this agreement,” said NSTU president Paul Wozney in a press release.
The diligent work of the bargaining team and this vote result indicate it’s a fair and reasonable contract for public school teachers in the province.”
The contract will give teachers a salary increase of 7 per cent over four years, with a 1.5 per cent increase effective Aug. 1, 2019, a 0.5 per cent increase on July 31, 2020, a 1.5 per cent increase on Aug. 1, 2020, a 0.5 per cent increase on July 31, 2021, a 1.5 per cent increase on Aug. 1, 2021, and a 1.5 per cent increase on Aug. 1, 2022.
The contract will expire on July 31, 2023, according to the union.
The agreement also includes an increase to the amount of time teachers are given for marking and preparation. Effective Aug. 1, 2021, teachers will have a minimum of 12.5 per cent of instructional time for marking and preparation averaged over the school year.
“This represents a 25 per cent an increase in prep time for our members,” said Wozney. “Teachers haven’t seen any increase in marking and prep time for 50 years and this will help to decrease the ongoing demands on teachers’ time.”
NSTU members have been without a contract since the end of the 2019 school year.
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