Nova Scotia reaches ‘agreement in principle’ with teachers in contract talks
Nova Scotia will likely avoid a teachers’ strike as government and union negotiators reached an “agreement in principle” late Wednesday night.
The Nova Scotia Teachers Union entered conciliation talks with government negotiators on Monday and Tuesday with a 98 per cent strike mandate. More than 10,000 teachers and educational specialists voted last Thursday to go on strike if an agreement couldn’t be reached.
Teachers are concerned about rising levels of violence in schools, teacher recruitment and retention, and compensation for substitute and permanent teachers.
Premier Tim Houston joined the talks himself on Monday night. Houston told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Thursday that he believes the agreement addresses many of the union’s concerns.
Ryan Lutes, president of the teachers union, said in an interview Thursday that the premier’s presence at the bargaining table seemed to move things along.
