Nova Scotia teachers' strike date looms, but few answers for the public

Parents and students hoping for some guidance from the government or the teachers union about preparing for a potential strike are going to have to keep waiting.

There is virtually no movement between the two sides as Dec. 3, when teachers will be in a legal strike position, looms. Efforts to bring the matter to mediation or a conciliation board have failed and the union postponed joining a committee to discuss workplace concerns.

But if those impacted by job action should begin preparing for the cancellation of clubs, sports and other events — or an outright work stoppage — neither side is saying.

"I can't give any indication right now as to what will happen come Dec. 3," said union president Liette Doucet. "We will have to wait as the timeline approaches and let parents know at that time."

The union continues to call for the government to return to the bargaining table, where it wants to discuss workplace conditions, classroom concerns and compensation.

Minister wants to hear from teachers

Education Minister Karen Casey said she's well aware of teachers' concerns and wants to address them.

The committee on working conditions went ahead Thursday, without the union. While the government planned to forward the results of the meeting between department staff and school board superintendents, it was not making the information public.

Casey said she wants the union at those meetings, but if officials won't attend, she will seek input directly from teachers.

"It is our goal as government to make sure that teachers are still in front of their students in the classrooms," she said.

"We want to make sure that we take steps to work with teachers, to listen to their concerns, to help them understand that we are aware of the complexities in the classroom, we're aware of their issues and concerns and that we're trying to address those."

Don't fall into the minister's trap

But Doucet said teachers have been voicing concerns for years, including during recent rounds of bargaining, and it's yielded little progress.

In a message to teachers on Thursday, Doucet accused Casey of trying to work around the executive. While she is encouraging teachers to speak directly to their MLAs, she cautioned them "not to fall into the minister's trap" by participating in any kind of committee.

"We have to work collectively to address our working conditions and it has to be codified in the contract or we will never find an ongoing way to force the government to listen to our concerns."

Doucet said the union is doing everything it can to avoid job action.

"We don't want to be on strike," she told reporters at Province House. "Teachers are parents, too. We want the same thing for our students."