By Larry Kuehn, Director of Research, BC Teachers’ Federation The appointment of Betty DeVos as U.S. Secretary of Education aroused considerable opposition. Many of those challenging her were acting on the subtitle of Howard Ryan’s book, “organizing against the corporate juggernaut.” Education Justice is a rewarding mix of political analysis about the corporate forces pushing U.S. Continue readingBook Review: Education Justice
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By Robert Devet For days and weeks the Nova Scotia Teachers Union dominated the headlines. But after the government imposed a new contract all that disappeared. What actually happened? Why did it matter? What’s next? The Nova Scotia Advocate met with Larry Haiven to ponder these three simple questions. Haiven is a professor emeritus in Continue readingWhat is next for Nova Scotia’s teachers?
By Suzanne MacNeil, President of the Halifax-Dartmouth & District Labour Council Today, 9300 Nova Scotia public school teachers, with Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU), will be on strike for the first time in its 122-year history. The strike will be a one-day walkout. Teachers from across the province will be picketing at the legislature, where Continue readingStriking Nova Scotia Teachers are making history
By Ben Sichel As teachers in Nova Scotia mull over their bargaining team’s third attempt at a tentative agreement in just over a year, here are a few observations about the dispute, and about teachers’ and workers’ power in general. 1) Teachers have a new idea of what is possible. Many of the issues teachers Continue readingTeachers unions can win. Let’s get to work.
By Robert Devet Well over two hundred supporters gathered in front of the Chronicle Herald offices on Dutch Village Road in Halifax as they listened to speeches by labour leaders and politicians. “It’s been humbling to realize that we belong to a much larger family than we originally realized,” said Ingrid Bulmer, president of the Continue readingWe’re getting a little tired of this shit: Nova Scotia rallies on Herald strike anniversary
by Robert Devet What a mess. With less than 48 hours notice the government closed all schools to students today, leaving parents, scrambling for daycare. Parents, students and teachers were mad as hell. The government’s argument that safety could not be guaranteed while teachers worked to rule convinced nobody. Feeling the heat, in a day Continue readingNS Liberals retreat in fight against teachers, students
By Ben Sichel What has led teachers in a sleepy Canadian province to the brink of their first-ever strike? Members of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union voted by 96 percent on October 25 to authorize their provincial executive—the union’s board of elected officers—to call a strike or other job action. Voter turnout was reported as Continue readingNova Scotia teachers on the verge of strike
By Robert Devet Nova Scotia’s wild and wacky world of labour relations just got even stranger. Twice now the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) leadership recommended that its members accept a negotiated deal, and twice the teachers said no thanks. On October 25 the teachers backed that rejection up with a 96 percent strike mandate. Continue readingTeachers and government workers say no to austerity in Nova Scotia
The following was written by a teacher in Nova Scotia, and a version of this first appeared at Teachers of Nova Scotia Over a period of three weeks, teachers at my school contributed their concerns on workplace conditions that they wanted articulated to our union leadership and to the government. Some common themes emerged: 1. Continue readingNova Scotia teachers grapple with workplace challenges
The following was written by a resource teacher in Nova Scotia and a version of this first appeared at Teachers of Nova Scotia For the first time ever Nova Scotia teachers may go on strike. And while a cost of living raise and a retirement award is a factor for some of the teachers who Continue readingFrustrated and demoralized: Letter from a Nova Scotia teacher
By Daniel Tseghay Since Aug. 2, members of locals 9 and 11 of the Education and Training Employees’ Association (ETEA) have been on strike over wages, unpaid work, and workplace surveillance. They made the decision to strike after negotiations broke down. Local 9 represents private instructors at Vancouver English Centre (VEC) in Vancouver and Local Continue readingPrivate schools hoard profits: Picket pay an upgrade for striking instructors
On this second episode, Rankandfile.ca’s West Coast Correspondent Daniel Tseghay interviews Farah Shroff, First Vice-President of the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils and Lisa Descary, a teacher and activist in Richmond BC. Both guests discuss the ongoing effects of cuts to public education in British Columbia and what must be done to fight the Continue readingRankandfile.ca Podcast Episode #2 – Education cuts in BC