HomeMy WebLinkAbout'It's not over:' union says teachers will keep fighting for classroom changes after bill passes - Metro Ottawa - 02/20/2017 - Metro Ottawa - 02/20/20172/21/2017 'It's not over:' union says teachers will keep fighting for classroom changes after bill passes
News [afi
It's not ovelr„' ulniioln says teachers will (keep fighting -for classroom changes after Ibill (passes
Bill 75 will likely pass the legislature Tuesday, but the union says teachers have 'woken up' and will keep
asking for what's needed.
JO1fR1[SAIN DIMn:iI1lFiiiAIF:9lIFF�01IR IMIFiii11 FRO
Norm Scotia lbaclheirs ua.Ulrnliolrn Ipirec~;iident Il....litetteIl.Doucet speaks to teaclheirs and sa.tlppolrtelrs du.triing a Irally at U=)Ircvviirnce If louse on
U.::-eb� 17, 2017
By: III°°Illmtlllley IIRyain Metro, Published on Mon Feb 20 2017.
While a iwflillll enforcing a contract on Nova Scotia teachers will likely pass Tuesday, their union says the fight
for classroom reform will continue as educators have "woken up.”
The final reading of the bill will be held Tuesday, and when passed will end work -to -rule and enforce a
wage package despite last Friday's Ihistoric tl:eacheir stlrlilke. Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) president
Liette Doucet said with a Liberal majority, it will undoubtedly pass.
"I know (teachers) are disappointed ... however they won't give up their fight, that's for sure. They've
woken up," Doucet said in an interview.
"Through this whole thing, they've become empowered. They're feeling proud to be teachers again."
Doucet said even though it seems like Premier Stephen McNeil and the Liberals aren't listening, a "real
conversation" has been started with citizens, parents, and students who want to see specific changes like
more resources for kids with disabilities and smaller class sizes.
After roughly 16 months of negotiations, three tentative agreements rejected by members, and weeks of
work -to -rule, the new bill sets up working groups for inclusion and classroom conditions. But, Doucet said
teachers were looking for immediate changes through negotiation and many can't forgive the Liberals for
legislating a contract.
"They're just looking at the long road that is behind them now, but that hasn't really ended," Doucet said.
http://www. m etronews.ca/news/hal i fax/2017/02120/uni or} says- ns-teachers-fi ghti ng -changes -after- bi I I . pri nt. htm I 1/2
2/21/2017 'It's not over:' union says teachers will keep fighting for classroom changes after bill passes
"It's not over, but at the same time we've reached a turning point. We're facing a government ... that has
taken away our rights."
The NSTU will continue pressuring on the government through multiple avenues, possibly including the
classroom conditions council if that's available, Doucet said. A protest is planned for outside Province
House Tuesday, starting after school at 3:30 p.m.
Internally, Doucet said the union will "absolutely" be putting forward a legal challenge against the bill.
http://www. m etronews.ca/news/hal ifax/2017/02120/uni or}says-ns-teachers-fighti ng -changes -after- bil I. pri nt.html 2/2
/!-- This code was added to remove the metadata from document view in Weblink -->