Father tired of kids' hopes being 'dashed' by work-to-rule
'I see the devastation,' says Tim Clark
The father of two Nova Scotia students says the off-again, on-again work-to-rule job action is taking its toll on his children.
On Friday, Nova Scotia's 9,300 public school teachers announced they would return to work-to-rule job action Monday, possibly putting a tentative contract agreement with the province on the verge of collapse.
Tim Clark lives in Wileville, N.S., a few kilometres west of Bridgewater.
His 14-year-old daughter, Sophia, attends Hebbville Academy and his 16-year-old son, Noah, attends Parkview Education Centre in the Bridgewater area.
Before the strike, Sophia played basketball and was involved with band and singing for her school's acapella group. Those activities have been cancelled because of work-to-rule.
Clark said his daughter worked very hard to make the basketball team and was excited to have done so. She then played in a handful of games and practices before work-to-rule came into effect Dec. 5.
Kids' hopes 'dashed'
"They then came forward and made an announcement that work-to-rule is over and she was excited only to have, the following Friday, another announcement come out from the union saying they were going back to work-to-rule," said Clark.
"I see the devastation [in my children] when the news came out, then I see the happiness when I see that work-to-rule is over, things are going to return to normal and then to see it dashed again, I mean I don't think they really thought that through, the impact [on kids]."
Clark said a well-rounded education isn't just about what kids learn in the classroom, but also includes extracurricular activities.
Contract dispute
The issue with the latest work-to-rule job action, according to the union, is Premier Stephen McNeil's interpretation of what the Nova Scotia Teachers Union has been telling members is an extra two days off in the tentative agreement reached earlier this month.
McNeil told reporters Thursday they are not days off, but are meant for marking and preparation time.
The union then accused the province of reinterpreting what had been agreed upon.
CBC News contacted NSTU for a comment on the effect this latest job action is having on students, but hasn't heard back.