92 per cent of voting NSTU members give contract – which includes 7.5 per cent increase – a thumbs-up
Community College faculty members of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU), employed by the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), have voted in favour of the tentative agreement reached between the College and the Nova Scotia Teachers Union on May 4.
The online vote took place on May 22.
Seventy-eight per cent of members of the Community College faculty voted 92 per cent in favour of their agreement, according to NSTU, which represents about 720 faculty who teach at NSCC campuses across Nova Scotia.
"We're pleased that our members have ratified this new agreement, and I congratulate both negotiating teams for their hard work and dedication in achieving a fair and equitable agreement for our faculty members," says NSTU president Shelley Morse. "In the coming days we will continue the bargaining process on behalf of our professional support members."
Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) president Don Bureaux adds, "I too am very pleased to see an agreement realized on behalf of NSCC's dedicated faculty members this evening. It is thanks to the hard work and commitment of the bargaining teams for both the college and NSTU that this positive resolution has been achieved."
What’s in the agreement
The agreement includes a salary increase of 7.5 per cent (7.7 per cent compounded) over the life of the agreement — including a two per cent increase on Sept. 1, 2011; a 2.5 per cent increase on Sept. 1, 2012; and three per cent on Sept. 1, 2013.
NSTU said equity in vacation allotment was also achieved — faculty members hired before and after Aug. 1, 1998, will receive the same vacation entitlement.
It also contains an increase dental for major restoration services.
Both the NSTU and NSCC are continuing to negotiate a tentative agreement for the 156-member professional support bargaining unit, made up of professionals such as registrars, librarians, counsellors, student support workers and training coordinators.
