School workers on Nova Scotia's South Shore join strike for higher wages

About 130 public school staff from the South Shore Regional Centre for Education hit the picket line Tuesday morning, joining a strike by some school employees in Nova Scotia.

This comes a day after more than 600 staff from the Annapolis Regional Centre for Education (AVRCE) walked off the job Monday.

Workers on strike in the province include educational assistants, student support workers, library support workers, early childhood educators, administration staff, clerks, and IT workers.

The strike action comes after more than a year of bargaining between the Nova Scotia government, the General Employees Union (NSGEU), and the regional education centres. Wages are a key sticking point, according to the president of the NSGEU.

"We believe in the collective bargaining process and, I guess, the most important thing is people are willing to come back to the table," said Allan MacMaster, Nova Scotia's labour relations minister.

"I'm sure that will happen. I know we're ready to go back, the employer's ready to go back, so our hope would be we can return there and continue discussions."

Sandra Mullen says union members are striking to gain wage equity across the province. While teachers are paid the same in every district, she says her members are not.

“It just makes sense,” said the NSGEU in a statement. “We need to support our school support workers. Without them, schools and classrooms just can’t work.”

Meanwhile, about 250 students who rely on their services have been told not to go to school, even as other students do.

“We received a phone call last week saying, unfortunately, your daughter is not welcome to come back to school,” said parent Hanna Butler.

Butler’s daughter, nine-year-old Milan, receives help from an educational assistant in the classroom. With that assistant now on strike, Milan is forced to stay home.

Some parents are also asking why the centres for education don’t have contingency plans in place. The executive director of the AVRCE says his centre doesn't have the staff with the necessary skillset to fill the gaps on a day-to-day basis.

A spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Department of Education says both sides have worked hard and it is disappointing they have not come to an agreement, noting that the province respects and is committed to the collective bargaining process.

The regional education centres affected by the strike have cancelled pre-primary programs because of the labour action.

This comes after some 1,500 part-time academics, teaching assistants, markers, and demonstrators at Dalhousie University hit the picket lines in Halifax last week, also because of wages.