NL

Teachers union heading to court over 'Sunshine List'

A lawyer representing the Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher's Association said court documents have been filed to fight the release of members names as part of a "Sunshine List".
Tom Williams is lawyer for the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association, which doesn't want the names of its members released along with their pay information. (CBC)

A lawyer representing the Newfoundland and Labrador Teacher's Association (NLTA) said court documents have been filed to fight the release of members names as part of a "Sunshine List". 

"We are now asking the court for an order in respect to the privacy act … and we are suggesting that the interpretation would support our position that the names of teachers do not need to be released under this legislation," said Tom Williams, legal counsel for the NLTA.

"Fortunately in the case of the teachers, the names have not yet been released — but our office has had concerns raised by other individuals who've contacted us as a result of this matter, who have raised concerns that their names have in fact been released, with salaries and positions."

The Telegram's James McLeod created the so-called Sunshine List based on access to information requests.

It provides a list of public sector workers who earned more than $100,000 in 2015.

He published the list on his blog Thursday, and in Friday's print edition of The Telegram.

The provincial minister responsible for public engagement, Siobhan Coady, said the province is considering releasing all public salary information.

Williams said the province's teachers union is not opposed to releasing the salary information, just the names.

"I think you can see, just by social media, that the public at large are now questioning as to the necessity of having individual names released, pertaining to this information. Not only in the case of teachers, but I think in the case of most public servants."

Williams said the next step is a court date to argue their position in front of a judge.

He said the teachers' legal challenge might not be the only one. 

"We were contacted by the nurses' union and looking at the press reports today it appears that the nurses' union will also be supporting our position, as well as coming out with their own challenge."