Thousands of school support workers in Nova Scotia are readying for what could be a strike next week, which would see pre-primary care paused.
“They need to be paid a living wage, I really don’t think that’s an unreasonable ask,” CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgeon said on how negotiations are going.
The union president says sign-making parties are taking place across the province on an almost daily basis, all in preparation for what could be a strike of 5,400 members.
“This sector has struggled with having a meaningful livable wage, and that’s essentially the focus of this bargaining session,” said McFadgeon.
She says wages also impact recruitment and retention — if you don’t pay well, it’s difficult to attract people to the work.
“Many, many of our members are working more than one job to make ends meet. Many,” McFadgeon said.
Some workers make $25,000 annually — a salary that isn’t sustainable in today’s economic climate.
The negotiating group makes up 85 per cent of support workers in Nova Scotia, consisting of bus drivers, cleaners, tradespeople, ECE and EPA staff, teaching assistants and food service workers, to name a few.
“They’re really incredibly valuable folks,” N.S. Education Minister Becky Druhan told media on Wednesday. “We know historically they’ve had different pay across regions, there hasn’t been equity, but we’re really looking for and we’re committed to a path to equity.”
Druhan said yesterday at the legislature that she is confident that there still is a path to a negotiated agreement.
“My goal, our government’s goal, is to see continued learning for all of our students and that’s what we’re really working towards,” she said.
McFadgeon is happy to hear about Druhan’s confidence in an agreement.
“We’ve been very clear that we need our members to have a meaningful wage,” said McFadgeon. “And if she’s confident it’s going to settle, she must have that meaningful wage in her pocket.”
The Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) sent an email to parents and caregivers to inform that, in the event of a work stoppage, pre-primary programs will be paused.
“As we prepare for the possibility of a labour disruption, work is underway to put contingency plans in place and communicate with families and staff so they may be prepared. This work is ongoing, and we will continue to communicate with families and staff in the coming days,” HRCE Communications Officer Lindsey Bunin said in an emailed statement.
McFadgen says a timeline for a strike will be made in the coming days — a decision that she says they do not take lightly.
The earliest that school support staff will be in a legal strike position is on April 21.