The union representing school support staff in the Strait region says contract negotiations with the Strait Regional Centre for Education (SRCE) have reached an impasse.
CUPE 955, which represents about 600 support staff in the counties of Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness and Richmond, says the employer failed to bring forward any new proposals when the two sides met on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
In June, the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions sent a letter to members saying it was “at work behind the scenes.” By the end of July, the union announced its bargaining team was ready to fight for “fair wages, a safer workplace, improved benefits, and meaningful sick leave.”
In August, the team said no deal had been reached but that negotiations were continuing, with 49 days remaining before a strike deadline.
According to CUPE 955, seven of its eight locals across Nova Scotia have voted to authorize strike action.
Following the latest round of talks, the union filed a report with the provincial minister, a move that brings the bargaining process one step closer to possible job action.
CUPE 955 says it remains committed to reaching a negotiated agreement but is urging the employer to return to the bargaining table with meaningful proposals.
