What we know so far about how N.S. schools preparing for possible CUPE strike on Friday

Update, April 19, 2023: A tentative agreement was reached with thousands of N.S. educational support workers this morning, staving off a strike. 

Nova Scotia public schools are preparing for a possible CUPE strike this week, forcing hundreds of students back to online learning

Thousands of unionized workers — including bus drivers, cleaners, maintenance staff, educational program assistants and early childhood educators, along with other roles — could soon walk off the job after wage negotiations reached an impasse last week.

"It was our biggest fear for a while," said Emma Wilkie, a Portapique, N.S., parent with a teen in Grade 11.

"Our 17-year-old is not thrilled about going back to online learning having just gotten out of it." 

Wilkie said it's too bad the strike could be coming so close to the end of the school year.

"Our other option previously was to drive Jade ourselves, now it's going to go to online learning. We've got emails from the teachers saying anyone in Grade 7 to 12 would be switching to online in less than a week from now, so that's a surprise for teachers; it's definitely a surprise for us," she said. 

The earliest a strike could begin is Friday, April 21, but the union is required to give at least 48 hours of notice.

Wilkie said the bus service is essential for students in rural areas. 

"Driving a bus full of teenagers and kids is not an easy job, and if they're only getting paid for hours in the morning and hours in the afternoon, of course it's going to be hard to find workers. So maybe the pay should be more, maybe the benefits should be more," Wilkie said.

Autism Nova Scotia expressed concerns about a possible strike in a news release on Monday. The organization says the needs of students will be forgotten, including students with autism being left without support in the school system.

"We are deeply concerned for autistic students and students with disabilities who require specific supports, who will be left without options if a strike takes place," said Cynthia Carroll, executive director of Autism Nova Scotia, in a news release.

"All students deserve equal access to education, it's a human right. Without a proper contingency plan in place, autistic and students with disabilities will once again be left behind."

While many regional centres for education are hopeful a strike could be prevented, they are making plans in case a strike happens.

Plans vary because the strike will have different impacts in different areas.

Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education

• In-person learning will continue for pre-primary children up to Grade 6 classes in all CCRCE schools.
• Before and after school programming will continue.
• Grade 7 to Grade 12 students will move to online learning, with devices provided to students who need them. The centre says school staff will connect with families where a student has special programming requirements.
• School bus transportation will be paused.
• Field trips that rely on school-bus transportation will be paused.
• All extra-curricular activities, sports and community use of school buildings will pause, but there could be exceptions for outdoor fields and grounds.

Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education

• Primary to Grade 5 students will be able to continue attending school.
• There will be no school bus service.
• Grade 6 to Grade 12 students will move to at-home learning.
• Students will continue to follow their regular schedule and will meet with their teachers and classmates on Google Classroom.
• Students needing additional support will still be able to access in-person learning at their school, but without the support of teacher assistants or student support workers. Individual schools will reach out to affected families to discuss these plans.

Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education

• No school bus transportation for students to and from Annapolis County schools, West Hants area schools and the West Kings Family of Schools in Kings County.
• Primary to Grade 5 and pre-primary children who receive busing by National Passenger Service (AVRCE's third-party provider for most Kings County schools) will continue to receive transportation to and from school.
• AVRCE-operated cafeterias will not be available, but breakfast and snack programs will remain.
• Secretaries in West Hants-area schools will not be working, so delays are anticipated if anyone tries to contact school offices.
• Any after-school extracurricular activities that require being in the building will be on pause. Community use of schools during evenings and weekends will also be on pause.

Halifax Regional Centre for Education

• Pre-primary programs will be paused and pre-primary students will not attend school.
• All schools grade primary to 12 will remain open to in-person learning, student transportation will operate as usual for those who require it, and the EXCEL program will continue to operate.
• Educational program assistants would not be at work. Schools are reaching out to families who would be affected to come up with an alternative plan on a case-by-case basis.
• Services from the following employees will be paused for the duration of a strike: library support specialists, SchoolsPlus community outreach workers, child and youth care practitioners, Mi'kmaw/Indigenous student support workers, African Nova Scotian student support workers and assistive technology support workers.

South Shore Regional Centre for Education

• Grade Primary to Grade 6 students will still attend class.
• Learning for Grade 7 to Grade 12 students will shift online, with some exceptions. That includes students who attend class though the learning centre.
• School bus service will be suspended, except in cases where a private bus is being used.
• Schools will not be available for before or after school use, except for any existing child-care programs.
• Extracurricular activities inside the school building or that require a school bus are suspended, but sports on fields and on school grounds may continue.

Tri-county Regional Centre for Education

• Elementary students will continue to attend class.
• Most junior high and high school students will shift to online learning, with some exceptions.
• Schools will not be available for use before classes or after classes, except for existing child-care programs.
• Buses will not be available for students, unless there are previous arrangements for a student to take a private bus service.
• Extracurricular activities inside schools are paused.

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial

• Elementary students will continue to be able to attend class.
• Most junior high and high school students will shift to online learning, with exception for students who attend class at the learning centre for more than half the time.
• On the first day of a strike, learning staff would be given a day to prepare for online learning and students would take an independent learning day. Online school would begin on the second day of the strike.
• Regions that would lose bus service during the strike include Clare, Argyle, Pomquet and South Shore. Areas where transportation is provided by Transco as well as taxi services will continue to operate.

Strait Regional Centre for Education

• A spokesperson for SRCE told CBC News CUPE Local 955 staff are not in a legal strike position on April 21, 2023. Its negotiation timelines are different than other regional centres for education.