Angry teachers rally against pension reforms in N.B.

CTV Atlantic: N.B. teachers rally over pension ref Current and retired teachers are holding rallies to voice their concerns over proposed changes to their pensions.

Current and retired teachers are holding rallies to voice their concerns over proposed changes to their pensions.

A group gathered outside the constituency office of New Brunswick Tourism Minister Trevor Holder in Saint John Tuesday afternoon.

The teachers held a similar rally outside the office of former Education Minister Jody Carr in Oromocto on Monday.

Peter Fullerton, co-chair of the New Brunswick Teachers Federation, says teachers are holding the rallies to inform MLAs of their counter-proposal, not to picket or demonstrate.

“I hope they understand that these are for information,” says Fullerton. “We want to make the MLAs aware that there is a proposal out there that it is strong, that it is credible and it has merit.”

The New Brunswick government is in the process of sweeping pension reforms and has already moved several public servants to a shared-risk model. The government is hoping to move teachers to a shared-risk model as well, but the teachers aren’t happy with the proposed changes.

But New Brunswick Finance Minister Blaine Higgs says negotiations on the matter are underway and the rallies threaten the ongoing talks.

“It does make me kind of question the sincerity of the process and I guess I would ask those showing up at the rallies, you know, why are they there?” says Higgs.

“While we’re sitting at the table and having those discussions, that’s where it’s going to be solved. But teachers certainly need the government to understand that this is of the utmost importance to them," says Fullerton.

Higgs says discussions with the teachers will continue despite the rallies. He also says the government wants to find a solution just as much as the teachers do.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell