[Image-1] Educational support workers in HRM are standing in solidarity with the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU), while at the same time bargaining with the Halifax Regional School Board (HRSB) for a new collective agreement of their own. Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 5047 president Chris Melanson says school board employees in his […]
Labour
Posted inNews + Opinion
School closure leaves the most vulnerable at greatest risk
[Image-1] On Monday morning a recalled Nova Scotia legislature will begin the first steps to forcing a new collective agreement on teachers and taking away their right to strike. At the same time, outside Province House, angry crowds will join in a protest against the Liberal government’s battle with the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU). […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
After a day of confusion, students are going back to school
After a Monday away from the classroom, Nova Scotian students are allowed to go back to school starting Tuesday. The decision was announced by Education minister Karen Casey on Monday afternoon during the second legislative meeting of the day. Premier Stephen McNeil had called for an emergency legislative assembly on Monday morning to quickly pass […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Children locked out of school by province
[Image-1] Instead of locking out unionized teachers, the Liberal government has decided to lock out Nova Scotia’s students. All public schools in the province will be closed starting Monday, December 5. Education minister Karen Casey made the unprecedented announcement at a press conference held Saturday morning. The province says the planned work-to-rule action by the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Hundreds of Nova Scotian students walk out in support of teachers
Students across Nova Scotia are walking the walk. On Friday, students from about 25 schools—including Dartmouth High School, Halifax West High School and Citadel High School—participated in a walk-out in support of their teachers’ labour battle against the Department of Education. According to a release from the Students for Teachers Facebook group, the goal of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Talks break down between province and teachers
[Image-1] Negotiations for a new collective agreement between the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) and the province have broken off. The two sides had met this week with a conciliator to try and stave off a strike. A work stoppage could now happen as early as December 5, though what form that will take has […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Striking Chronicle Herald workers file complaint to the Labour Board
Members of the Halifax Typographical Union say they are ready to meet with the Chronicle Herald “at any time,” but the feeling isn’t mutual. After almost 300 days on strike, the HTU officially filed a complaint this week with the Nova Scotia Labour Board accusing management of unfair bargaining practices. At a press conference on […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Why we support Nova Scotia’s teachers
[Image-1] When we started up Nova Scotia Parents for Teachers two weeks ago, our Facebook page quickly gathered around 400 members. Since our first bit of media coverage last Wednesday, membership has soared to over 5,000 and counting. We hope that premier McNeil is taking notice. As a group of concerned parents and grandparents of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Nova Scotia’s teachers are ready for a strike
[Image-1] A strike vote of 96 percent on Tuesday means Nova Scotia’s 9,300 teachers could be walking off the job as early as December 3. “Public school teachers have spoken loud and clear,” said NSTU president Liette Doucet in a press release. “We feel strongly about providing better education to Nova Scotia’s students and are willing […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Who was lobbying Nova Scotia to eliminate our athletes’ minimum wage protection?
[Image-2] Last week’s announcement that junior hockey players would be dealt out of any chance of qualifying for minimum wage protection came to many as a bolt out of the blue. It only surfaced in a government press release that quoted the president and majority owner of the Halifax Mooseheads welcoming the change. So what is […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The men on the docks
[Image-1] On a sunny Saturday on the waterfront, hundreds of people follow their local foodie instincts to the Seaport market. A short walk down the road, nestled quietly amongst the port infrastructure, a different crowd is gathering inside a small white bungalow to celebrate the International Day of the Seafarer. A handful of retired seafarers […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Flextrack is a race to the bottom for temporary employees
[Image-1] The decision not to privatize Nova Scotia government departments, such as the Registry of Motor Vehicles, was greeted with relief by unionized government employees. For the temporary employees in these departments, there is little to celebrate. A new hiring process this year has made their jobs even less secure and lower paying. The provincial […]
