Offer to NSTU is not on table indefinitely: education minister

Nova Scotia Education Minister Zach Churchill speaks during a press conference in Halifax on Wednesday, January 24, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese)

HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia's education minister says the $800,000 compensation offer for the government's removal of principals and vice-principals from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union is still on the table -- but not indefinitely.

Zach Churchill says other areas of the education system require investment and the money may well be used for something else if the union refuses the government's offer.

So far, the teachers union has flatly rejected the government's offer to make up union dues that would be lost over the first year, calling it a move to buy off the union and its membership.

Churchill says while there's no firm number yet, about 1,000 principals, vice-principals, and school board management supervisors would be affected by the pending change.

Legislation is expected during the upcoming legislative session to enact many of the reforms recommended last month by education consultant Avis Glaze.

Among her 22 recommendations, Glaze said principals and vice-principals should be moved into a new professional association to eliminate any potential conflict of interest when both management and employees are in the same union.