Tentative deal reached with 5,400 school support workers in Nova Scotia

About 100 people wearing pink shirts and carrying signs gathered in Dartmouth, N.S., Sunday to call on the government to pay them fair wages.

HALIFAX -

The Nova Scotia government has reached a tentative deal with the province's 5,400 educational support workers, who were in a legal position to strike Friday.

The two sides stuck a deal around 2 a.m. Wednesday, Nan McFadgen, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Nova Scotia, said in an interview. A spokeswoman with the provincial Education Department also confirmed that a tentative agreement had been reached.

"We are pleased and we are recommending it," McFadgen said. "I think there was clearly enough in the deal. There was movement and I think it was a direct result of member mobilization."

Neither side released details of the agreement.

CUPE's Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions represents educational program assistants and early childhood educators, bus drivers, cleaners and maintenance staff, who were mainly looking for higher wages.

McFadgen said timing -- the end of the school year is in June -- along with the union's threats of going on strike gave it leverage during negotiations.

"To withdraw your services is no small thing, but that's how committed they were," she said of union members. "They were just done and were ready to draw their line and they drew it."

McFadgen said ratification votes are to be held over the next few weeks.

In a statement, Education Minister Becky Druhan said the government was pleased to strike a deal with union members. More information would be going out to parents later Wednesday, she said.

"We are very glad that for now there will be no disruption to students' learning as we wait for the ratification vote to happen."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 19, 2023.