|
In accordance with Association policy, regular communication will be provided to NLTA members by way of periodic updates on the status of the collective bargaining process. This update is provided as a follow up to the last Bargaining Brief on July 7, 2023.
As members would be aware, the Association has been bargaining with Government for a year now, with opening proposals exchanged on October 19-20, 2022. Since the last bargaining brief in July, additional negotiation dates were scheduled for August 9 and 10, as well as October 11-13. The Association has now made its fifteenth negotiating pass (i.e., fifteenth set of proposals) during the October dates and subsequently proposed further potential dates to the Employer team for bargaining in October and November. The parties have exchanged a total of 29 passes. The next session of negotiations with the Employer will take place on October 30, at which time the Employer will provide their fifteenth pass. Additional dates have also been secured: October 31, November 6-7, and November 9-10.
While there has been some progress on certain items, several significant matters remain unresolved and are being actively discussed. The Team remains focused on its goal of achieving the best possible deal for NLTA members, in the current context and climate, to recommend as a tentative agreement to Provincial Executive. All possible steps in the negotiations process, as per the Teachers’ Collective Bargaining Act, are under active consideration in this regard. Should an impasse be reached, the Team has prepared for the next steps, which would include recommending to Executive that the Association apply for the assistance of a Conciliation Officer. The outcome of bargaining dates now confirmed should determine whether conciliation is needed in order to see the employer respond appropriately to issues of working and learning conditions, compensation and benefits that are critical to the retention and recruitment of qualified teachers and the integrity of the public K-12 education system in this province.
As the process continues, the Negotiating Team remains focused on the priorities for bargaining as identified through submissions from NLTA members, which are:
- Class Size/Composition
- Salaries/Allowances
- Hiring
- Leaves
- Workload/Working Conditions
We will keep you advised of any significant developments or progress in negotiations through subsequent Bargaining Briefs and other communications as necessary.
| 
