Halifax support workers strike impacting students and families
The father of disabled teen from Fall River, N.S. is calling on all sides to get back to the bargaining table and put an end to the Halifax area CUPE educational support worker strike.
“This has gone on too long and it is not fair for the kids,” Mohsen Nakad sid.
His 13-year-old son Abraham Nakad attends Georges P. Vanier Junior High School, but for the past four weeks, he hasn't been able to attend school with workers from CUPE local 5047 on strike.
Nakad supports the workers on strike and wants the government and all sides to get back to the negotiation table and come to an agreement soon.
“For me, I am supporting the EPAs, because I know how much our life is easier with them,” Nakad said.
His son Abraham is autistic and has cerebral palsy. He’s nonverbal and communicates through a tablet device. At school he is supported by educational program assistants, or EPAs.
Abraham would like to be back in school and he reminds his father of that at least a dozen times every day.
Abraham taps on his tablet device to send a message to his father.
“I...want...school...school,” Abraham said through the tablet. He hit the message button again, to emphasize: “I want to go to school.”
“It's unfair, it makes me very sad for my son and his friends,” Nakad said.
“Just because they have disabilities doesn't mean they should have to miss school.”
Abraham and his father joined school support workers on the picket line Wednesday outside Georges P. Vanier School.
The past three years have been challenging for Nakad, he’s a single father of two children and a small business owner.
While Abraham was at home during the pandemic, Nakad says he was forced to close his convenience store.
Now Nakad had been preparing to open a pet grooming salon, but with the ongoing strike he’s putting that on hold for now to care for his son at home.
“I have to postpone everything now because I cannot look after my business. I have to be with Abraham all the time.”
In Dartmouth, CUPE leaders joined a rally organized by the Nova Scotia NDP.
CUPE Nova Scotia president Nan McFadgen wants Premier Tim Houston’s PC government and Halifax Regional Centre for Education to get back to the negotiating table and work out a resolution.
“We’re disappointed that we’re still here,” McFadgen said.
Seven of the eight regional CUPE groups voted to accept the province's offer, but the Halifax area local voted against the offer. The group is looking for better wages, McFadgen said.
“And this local decided that it wasn’t enough and now they are going to walk the picket line for better wages and that needs to be OK to happen in Nova Scotia,” said McFadgen. “A local has a democratic right to either accept or decline an offer.”
The Nova Scotia’s Education Minister said in a statement Wednesday that the department remains hopeful that the job action will end and that impacted students will be able to return to school before the end of June.
“The first step is for the union to reach out to the employer, HRCE [Halifax Regional Centre for Education],” said Becky Druhan.
“HRCE has contacted the union regarding ways to support students who rely on the striking workers, but the union has refused to participate. HRCE is doing everything it can to support students and minimize impacts of the strike,” the minister said.
Both the union and government said there are no scheduled talks at this time.
Nakad urges the government to meet with the union and get a deal done to salvage the remaining school year.
“We need to see this government doing something for our kids,” said Nakad. “This isn’t fair for them.”
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.