NSTU members vote overwhelmingly to ratify four-year contract with province

Paul Wozney, president of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, speaks to reporters about the state of the province's schools on Sept. 2, 2020.

HALIFAX — Public school teachers in Nova Scotia have voted in favour of a tentative contract agreement with the province.

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union says the tentative agreement was reached Oct. 23.

In a province-wide electronic vote on Wednesday, 73 per cent of teachers voted and of those, just over 94 per cent voted in favour of the deal.

"Our members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of this agreement," NSTU president Paul Wozney said in a news release. "The diligent work of the bargaining team and this vote result indicate it’s a fair and reasonable contract for public school teachers in the province."

The proposed contract includes a seven per cent wage increase over four years.

It also increases the time teachers are given for marking and preparation.

"This represents a 25 per cent an increase in prep time for our members," said Wozney. "Teachers haven’t seen any increase in marking and prep time for 50 years and this will help to decrease the ongoing demands on teachers' time."