Negotiate – Don’t Dictate.
It’s what one of many signs said as NSTU and community members rallied last evening outside the office of the MLA for Lunenburg West.
— CKBW Radio (@ckbwradio) November 30, 2016
Hundreds of people marched on King Street to urge the Nova Scotia government to return to the bargaining table.
Rally stretching a solid length of sidewalk along King Street pic.twitter.com/S7QyPHsxzw
— CKBW Radio (@ckbwradio) November 30, 2016
NSTU executive member in Lunenburg and Queens, Marc Breaugh, hopes their message was heard.
“We want to sit down as a union with the government to negotiate a free and fair collective bargaining process. I don’t know if there is going to be any movement there but we did what we had to do to be heard.”
Teachers Union member, Ian Kent, says he feels the community support sent a strong message.
“It’s not just the NSTU, it’s not just teachers; it’s our entire community, our entire society that’s looking for better education and today this was a step in the right direction.”
The union and provincial government broke off conciliation talks on November 25.
The work-to-rule job action which starts Monday will see teachers scale back their involvement in extra-curricular activities or performing data entry tasks.
Meanwhile, the MLA for Lunenburg West says the teachers have spoken loud and clear about the need for change in the classroom.
Mark Furey addressed the crowd outside his office last evening.
Furey says he understands the challenges parents and teachers are facing.
He’s met with more than 30 of them in the last month to listen to their concerns.
Furey says he plans to take the feedback to his colleagues in Halifax.
Breaugh commended Furey for changing his travel plans in order to be at his constituency office for the rally.
