Strike by school support workers in the South Shore ends after union members ratify new agreement

The NSGEU members overwhelmingly accepted a new deal, a contract the union says will bring the workers to wage parity with other school support workers in the province.

In a media release, NSGEU says 98 percent of their members who voted accepted the new deal.

The new contract will see the South Shore school support workers receive salary adjustments of 1.5%, 1.5%, 3% and 0.5% over the length of the agreement, along with an additional advance payment of 1.5% to every member of the bargaining unit that is not currently among the highest paid in the province.

There is also some language in the deal that the union says will ensure that all positions will be compared to similar jobs across the province, and if workers in the South Shore Regional Centre for Education are not the highest paid in the province, they will receive two adjustments to get them to the highest rate.

“Achieving wage parity for school support workers is long overdue and an important accomplishment,” said President of NSGEU Sandra Mullen. “The current government not only allowed the bargaining process to unfold as it should – without legislative interference tipping the scales – but they have agreed to the principle of parity and fairness for these workers, and that is something that should be credited.”

Wednesday's vote comes just a day after school support workers in the Annapolis Valley ended their strike by ratifying their own contract.

One hundred thirty school support workers in the South Shore walked off the job October 24th.