Unions nervous about Nova Scotia education cuts
Posted Feb 11, 2012 08:53:39 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Nova Scotia school boards are facing an overall budget cut of 1.3 per cent, and that has a lot of people worried, including unions who represent thousands of non-teacher employees in schools.
The cuts will total $13.4 million and will affect seven of eight school boards in the province.
The president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union Joan Jessome says a big question for her is, will boards still be able to properly fund education assistance programs in the schools?
She says the cuts could also affect support staff like secretaries, IT, custodians and bus drivers.
“I think they’re all going to be a little nervous, because if you go to the Tri County, reduce it by 1.7 per cent and South Shore by 2.1 per cent, these are small boards a hit like that is pretty significant,” she explains.”
CUPE spokesperson John McCracken, whose union represents 4,500 workers in the school system, says he’s also concerned.
“We don’t think it’s the best choice to be making,” he says. “Whether it comes to health care or education, we don’t think these types of cuts are the way to go.”
He adds history shows people will lose their jobs.
“The 1.65 per cent reduction last year in the Cape Breton/Victoria school board alone cost us 45 positions, the bulk of which were education assistants,” he explains. “1.3 per cent is not that far off from 1.65 per cent.”
