landmarks and challenges - nova scotia teachers union main source of information dating from 1895 to...

A Short History of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The information in this document was researched, edited and compiled by Maureen Phinney,NSTU librarian.

The main source of information dating from 1895 to 1985 was Dr. Norman Fergusson’sbook, The Story of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union. Further information was extracted fromvarious Nova Scotia Teachers Union publications, in particular, The Teacher from 1985 to2000, as well as from some Nova Scotia government documents. A list of selected references isincluded at the end of the text.

This book was prepared and printed in July, 2001—first reprinting was March 2002.

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INTRODUCTION

From its very beginning in 1895, the NovaScotia Teachers Union has been activelysupporting teachers and the cause of publiceducation in this province.

As professional educators, teachers knowthat their own personal and professional well-being are linked and essential to success inteaching. Therefore, they have insisted upon anorganization built upon that dual reality.

The roles of both teachers and theeducation system have grown enormously in thepast 105 years. The NSTU has not only kept pacewith these changes but has played, and continuesto play, a proactive role in many of the positiveones.

The following material touches on themajor events in the development of ourorganization and, I hope, will give some insightinto the value of the union in the cause ofteachers and public education throughout itshistory and into the new millennium.

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A short history of the NSTU

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Early Days

Public education has existed in Nova Scotiain one form or another since the Capuchin friarsopened schools in the 1630s.

Two centuries later, in the 1800s, NovaScotia was still a province with a primarily ruralpopulation. Parents were directly responsible forthe education of their children: the quality andsometimes even the existence of education variedgreatly. Some areas depended on itinerantschoolmasters who were supported by the fees ofparents of the schoolchildren. Urban areas faredsomewhat better, with such institutions as theNational School in Halifax.

In 1864, the Free Schools Act became lawand the 1865 Education Act included compulsorytax assessment for the support of common schools—the basis for a province-wide education system.

Teachers, however, like many of theirschools then, were quite isolated. They werecompletely at the mercy of the local municipalboards that hired them. Often teaching positionswent to the lowest bidder. The person who namedthe lowest figure for which they would workwould get the position, regardless ofqualifications. Even after that, they often were notsafe for the school year: they could be dismissed atany time if a new applicant showed up and“underbid” them.

Some progress was made in the latter half ofthe nineteenth century.

Above: “The Itinerant Schoolmaster”, 1967, by JohnCook. One of a series of works commissioned by theNSTU.

Below: The first Bulletin of the Nova Scotia TeachersUnion appeared in 1922.


In 1880, the Council ofPublic Instruction, a provincialgovernment body, organized theProvincial EducationAssociation. The PEA was anorganization of educators of alllevels who were concerned withbuilding education in theprovince. The improvement ofthe system and that of teachers’positions, were seen as two sidesof the same coin. Its meetingswere chaired by theSuperintendent of Education.

The above is a photostatic copy of a contractmade between George McLellan, Secretary ofthe School at Noel Shore, Hants County, NovaScotia, and William Payne, School Teacher.The contract is dated November 20, 1824 andincludes provision for “Board, Lodging, andWashing, mending of one new shirt, one newpair of Trousers and waistcoat, one pair ofdancing pumps, Socks, mittens, night Cap andSuspenders, and Two Dollars in Cash.”

Below: “A Meeting of the Trustees”,1967, by John Cook. One of a series ofworks commissioned by the NSTU.


Rules for School Teachers1872~1. Teachers each day will fill lamps, trim the wicks, and clean chimneys.2. Each morning’s teacher will bring a bucket of water and a scuttle of coal for the day’s

session.3. Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to the individual tastes of the pupils.4. Men teachers may take one evening a week for courting purposes, or take two evenings

a week if they attend church regularly.5. After ten hours in school, the teachers may spend the remaining time reading the Bible

or other good books.6. Women teachers who marry or engage in unseemly conduct will be dismissed.7. Every teacher should lay aside from each pay a goodly sum of his earnings for his ben-

efit during his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society.8. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls, or

gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intentions,integrity, and honesty.

9. The teacher who performs his labor faithfully and without fault for five years will begiven an increase of twenty-five cents per week in his pay, providing the Board ofEducation approves.

1915~Truly, the life-style of a school teacher has changed radically in the last 50 or 60 years. For exam-ple, a 1915 teachers’ magazine listed the following rules of conduct for teachers of that day:• You will not marry during the terms of your contract.• You are not to keep company with men.• You must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless attending a school

function.• You must not loiter downtown in any of the ice cream stores.• You may not travel beyond the city limits unless you have the permission of the chair-

man of the board.• You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man unless he is your father or

brother.• You may not smoke cigarettes.• You may not dress in bright colors.• You may under no circumstances dye your hair.• You must wear at least two petticoats.• Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle.• To keep the schoolroom neat and clean, you must: sweep the floor at least once daily;

scrub the floor at least once a week with hot, soapy water; clean the blackboards atleast once a day; and start the fire at 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m.

- Buckeye Farm News


Therefore, it was not surprising that at theclosing of one of the PEA’s annual meetings inTruro in 1895, that a proposal for a “Teachers’Protective Union” was put forward by teacherMargaret Graham of Central Economy. Shestated that she favoured an organization “thatwould exert an influence in gaining better salariesand aid teachers in securing better results in theirschool work.” The dual mandate of protecting theeconomic welfare of teachers and fosteringprofessionalism was again put forward in thisresolution: “that the principle of the formation ofa Teachers’ Union, as expressed by Miss Grahamand Supervisor McKay (Halifax City Board) beapproved by the association”. This resolution waspassed and the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union wasborn. The first President was Robert MacLellanof Pictou Academy.

In 1896 the NSTU adopted its firstconstitution and bylaws during the annual PEAmeeting in Truro. They follow here.

After a 7-year hiatus, the PEA met again in1903. There the NSTU reorganized, with DavidSoloan as President. A great many PEA membersjoined the Union at that time.

Margaret Graham“It seems to me that thetime has come when weteachers should organizeourselves into some kindof Union, similar to thesocieties existing in themedical, legal, and otherprofessions.”

Robert MacLellan,NSTU’s first President“I condemn the lack ofesprit de corps whichpermits teachers to applyfor positions alreadyoccupied, and by under-bidding the teachersalready in possession ofthe field.”


The first Constitution of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, 1896.


The 1920s

The Union’s final meeting as an adjunct ofthe PEA was in 1920. Teachers who attendedexcluded government officials because theybelieved that they should formulate their policiesand conduct their affairs without officialinterference.

NSTU members thus decided to meetannually on their own. The PEA meetings werechaired by the Superintendent of Education.

A new Constitution was drafted andadopted in 1921.

In 1922 the first NSTU publication saw thelight of day. It was named the Bulletin of the NovaScotia Teachers’ Union —the ancestor of thepresent-day Teacher.

Although many teachers, especially in ruralareas, were not yet organized and negotiatingmachinery was nil, the NSTU made twosignificant gains in the 1920s:

❑ Teachers Pension Act came into effect in1928

❑ the government amended the EducationAct to provide increases in thegovernment grant (provincial aid) paid toall teachers.

✓

✓

Nova ScotiaEducational DatesCharnisay’s School at Port Royal. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1645Watt’s S. P. G. School at Annapolis . . . . . . . . . . . 1728Soeurs de al Congregation at Louisburg . . . . . . . 1733Organized School System under S. P. G. . . . . . . . 1749Edward Holland, first lay teacher . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1750School for the poor at Halifax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1753First private schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1760First Education Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1766First Grammar School, and first money

grant by government lottery in aid of public schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1780

King’s College founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1789Act for establishing schools

throughout Nova Scotia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1794First definite money grant from Province

in aid of education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1811Pictou Academy founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1816Dalhousie College founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1818First school statistics published . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1825Compulsory schools and first provision

for weak or poor districts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1826Female teachers first authorized . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1838Acadia College founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1838St. Mary’s College founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1841First Act for educating Indians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1842Female teachers authorized in Academies . . . . . . 1845First Superintendent of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . 1850School for the Deaf and Dumb founded . . . . . . . . 1851St. Francis Xavier College founded . . . . . . . . . . . 1853Normal School established . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1854“Free School Act” passed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1864Compulsory Assessment Act. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1865First Reformatory established . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1865School for the Blind founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1867Victoria School of Art and Design

established. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1887College of Agriculture founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1899Manual Training Schools established . . . . . . . . . 1900Technical College founded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1907Rural Science School established . . . . . . . . . . . . 1909

- quoted from the Bulletin of the Nova Scotia TeachersUnion,Vol. VII, No. 2, December, 1927, p. 17


Left, an advertisement appearing in the Bulletin, circa 1929.

Above, the aims of the Nova Scotia TeachersUnion, 1930, as they appeared in the Bulletin.


The 1930s

The 1930s were hard years, since theeconomic depression was being felt worldwide.The Union’s efforts were focused on shoring upwhat had already been achieved for teachers,rather than letting it erode.

In 1932, An Act to Incorporate the NovaScotia Teachers’ Union was passed.

The “dirty thirties” saw the resurfacing ofunderbidding for teaching positions.

Besides fighting underbidding and buildingmembership, the Union took a blow when theHalifax City Local seceded and formed theHalifax Men Teachers’ Association. Thishappened after the Halifax School Board cutteachers’ salaries. For a time there was muchbitterness between that group and those womenand men who remained in the NSTU HalifaxLocal. The HMTA teachers did not rejoin thelocal until 1936-37.

The greatest strides made in the 30s were inthe professional area. Up to that point, even agrade nine education could equip a person toteach. The Union was successful in its push forincreased licensing requirements, thus improvingpublic school education in the province.

By the end of the decade, the Union hadsurvived the worst, and along with the economy,was again in a growth pattern. Some increase inmembership was reported in 1939.

Above, Summer School offeringsadvertised in 1930. Along withPhysics, English Composition, andFolk Dancing, a course in “EconomicProblems of Nova Scotia” was offered.Plus ça change...


The 1940s

In September 1939 Canada went towar and many teachers enlisted or weredrawn to industrial work, which was muchmore highly paid than teaching. However, in1943 the federal government “froze” allteachers in their positions: otherwise ateacher shortage would have led to schoolclosures.

Bradford Finigan, Principal of FreeportSchool, was appointed the first NSTUGeneral Secretary in 1942. Although he waspaid, he was obliged to operate from hishome in Lawrencetown, or from his car, sincethere was no central office. Furthermore,since gasoline was rationed at that time, hesometimes had to resort to bus, train, walkingand hitchhiking to visit locals.

In spite of these handicaps,membership grew rapidly.

Up to 1946, teachers were paiddifferently depending on board, grade leveland gender. Halifax male high school teacherswere the most highly paid in the province. Inthat year, the Union was successful in its pushfor the implementation of a provincialminimum salary scale, as well as for theelimination of salary differentials based ongrade level and gender.

Wages paid in selected Nova Scotianindustries compared with median salaries of

school teachers in Nova Scotia—1943W

AGES

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All average wages were obtained from Dominion BureauStatistics, General Manufacturers Branch.

20001900180017001600150014001300120011001000900800700600500400300200100

A chart originally prepared in 1943compares the salaries of teachers to otherNova Scotian industries. Note the dis-tinction made between rural and urbanteachers, whose salaries differed greatly.This issue was a focal point for theUnion in the 1940s.


In 1949 President Tom Parkerpresented a brief to Henry Hicks, NovaScotia’s first Minister of Education, onmatters of salary and education finance, aswell as recommending the enactment of aprofessional act fostering higher teacherqualification standards and improvementof school programs. It also urgedgovernment recognition of the NSTU asthe only representative of the teachers ofNova Scotia.

The NSTU’s first MemberHandbook appeared in 1949.

We Get What We Pay For

1942–1943

Post Graduate Degree—3 years teaching in asecondary school.

University Degree—Teacher’s Diploma.

Grade XII—1 year Normal College—2 years N.S.Summer School.

Grade XI—1 year Normal College—1 year N.S.Summer School.

Temporary License—Grade X—6 weeks NormalCollege Summer School.

Permissives

RURAL$555 median

for1322 Teachers

Acad.1

H.S.4

A.248

B.426

C.335

D.308

URBAN$1113 median

for1368 Teachers

Acad.127

H.S.232

A.592

B.344

C.60

D.13

NOVA SCOTIA NEEDS A $1000.00 MINIMUM FOR ALL RURAL TEACHERS

Above, a chart from the 1942-43 school yeardemonstrates a major concern of the time, thedisparity in salary between rural and urbanteachers.

Below, the first Member Handbook, 1949, spellsout the Union’s objectives and accomplishments


Act was amended in 1953, legislating voluntarynegotiations and conciliation. These very basicmechanisms allowed either the NSTU or theschool board (employer) to request the otherparty to negotiate with them or request aconciliator to help arrive at an agreement. In1957, some improvement was made to thislegislation when a school board now wasrequired to negotiate with the Union, whenasked to do so. And conciliation was nowmandatory when requested by one of theparties.

In 1953, the NSTU opened its firstgeneral office on Barrington Street in Halifax.

Tom Parker was appointed full-timeExecutive Secretary (Director) in 1954.

The Union continued to push forimproved salaries for teachers. In 1956, salaryscales were established for teachers with aformula requiring the province to top upfunding for disadvantaged municipalities.

The 1950s

The postwar ’50s wereyears of growth and prosperityfor Canada.

In Nova Scotia, schoolenrolments mushroomed tojust over 171,000, an increaseof 40% in ten years. Thiscreated a teacher shortage.

The first two vocationalschools were established in1949 and 1950 and thePrimary program wasintroduced in 1951. Besidesexpanding the scope ofcurriculum offered in Nova Scotia’s public schools,this opened up a need for still more teachers inthe system.

In 1951 the 1932 Act to Incorporate the NovaScotia Teachers’ Union was repealed and the NovaScotia Teachers Union Act was passed. The NSTU

Teacher Education Council: Seated, L to R: J.Frank Glasgow, Tom Parker, Dr. J.P. McCarthy, Dr.H.P. Moffatt (Chairman), Rev. C.H. Bauer, SisterMaria Catherine [second nun is not named] Standing: Gerald Tingley, Dr. A.B. Morrison, Dr.M.V. Marshall, Miss Gene Morison, Dr. A.A. Giffen,D.H. Montgomery, Prof. A.S. Mowat, Dr. S.D.Southam. (Absetn Mr. H. A. Weir)


There was steady membership growththroughout the 50s, and NSTU infrastructurekept pace. In 1956-57, the membership hadgrown to 5,000. This large increase was not simplyexplained by the growing student population. Anautomatic membership clause had been added tothe NSTU Act the year before. The rationale forautomatic membership with automatic duesdeduction (Rand Formula) was that all teacherswould gain from negotiated benefits.

The Union was active throughout the 50s inits efforts to support the quality of education onNova Scotia. It was successful in opposinggovernment’s attempts to lower teacherqualification standards. It also contributed to thegeneral discussion on the problems and goals ofCanadian education, as a member of both theCouncil on Teacher Education and the NovaScotia Education Association.

By 1959, the NSTU had moved to a newheadquarters on South Park Street in Halifax.

These two pages (clockwisefrom bottom left): TheTeacher Education Council,from the February 1955Bulletin; the cover of abrochure published by theDepartment of Education,1958; inside pages of thesame brochure outlining somebenefits of teaching as acareer; below, the newNSTU headquarters onSouth Park, 1959.


The 1960s

The turbulent 1960s were years of economicgrowth, prosperity and change. Due to the babyboom increase in the student population, teacherswere still in great demand. Programs wereexpanding and 13 new vocational schools wereconstructed in the province. In Nova Scotiateachers had developed a new militancy and werepushing for higher salaries and benefits. Anannual review of the grant scale was achieved in1965. Previously, teachers were sometimes forcedto resort to mass resignations in order to gainminimal pay increases from their boards. AsNorman Fergusson put it, “Salaries of teachersmoved from the ‘miserable’ average salary of$3,196 in 1959-60 to the ‘much less miserable’average salary of $6,482 in 1969-70.”

At Annual Council 1963, a resolution wasput forward by the Cape Breton Rural and VillageLocal to address a discriminatory practice of someprovincial school boards: terminating marriedwomen teachers, regardless of their education andteaching experience.

The resolution read as follows:

Whereas some school boards in the provincehave passed resolutions discriminatingagainst female married teachers on thesole ground that they are married,

Be it resolved that the NSTU immediatelytake the necessary action to guaranteethe same eligibility for appointment andthe same security of tenure for marriedfemale teachers as for single ones.

It was adopted by a vote of 76 to 28.

“Building Plans—Proposed NSTU Headquarters” trumpeted a special March 1968 edition of the NSTUNewsletter.


Pressure from Nova Scotia teachers and theNSTU (the Sydney dispute teacher resignations of1969 are one example) eventually put an end tothis practice in the 1970s.

Professional development initiatives grewrapidly in the ‘60s. Prior to this time, limitedresources had restricted NSTU efforts in this area,since economic and organizational matters werethe most urgent priorities.

In 1960, the Union was anxious to find aneffective means of improving teachers’ professionalskills on an ongoing basis. With this in mind, thesubject specialist associations were developed.These are now referred to as the specialassociations. The first, which appeared in 1961,was the School Administrators’ Association. Andthe number kept growing: by the end of the ‘60s,there were ten.

In the area of certification, the Union’scurriculum committee helped draft a four-yearblock program.

The NSTU was represented on provincialboards related to professional development, suchas the Board of Teacher Certification and theAdvisory Committee on Curriculum.

Represented by Florence Wall and NormanFergusson, the NSTU played a very active role inthe Nova Scotia Advisory Council on SchoolTelevision, up to the introduction of EducationalTelevision as a regular part of the daily highschool curriculum in Fall 1962.

The Nova Scotia Teachers’ College in Truroopened in February, 1962. It was a directdescendent of the Normal College, which hadopened in 1855.


As a further indication of teachers’ supportfor professionalism, in 1968 the NSTU appointedprofessional development coordinators to assistlocals in the field of PD, as it had already done inthe area of negotiations by appointing economicconsultants.

Services to members were being constantlyimproved and in 1965 a much morecomprehensive group insurance plan, includingterm life, accidental death, salary continuation andmedical and health benefits was put into place.

With the arrival of MSI in 1968, a newTotal Care Plan came into effect in 1969. Sincesome aspects of this coverage were not suitable forretired teachers, a new Health Care Plan forRetired teachers was implemented.

In 1968, the Teaching Profession Act waspassed. It revised and consolidated all previousacts related to the NSTU. Essential items such asthe objects and powers of the NSTU are codified

here. This Act forms part of the NSTUConstitution along with the By-laws andStanding Orders.

Who Was Dr. Tom Parker?

To some who attend meetings andconferences at the Dr. Tom ParkerBuilding in Halifax, the man behind thename that NSTU central office proudlybears is a mystery.

When the NSTU provincial execu-tive voted to rename central office in1992 as one of the Union’s first eventsto mark its 1995 centenary, it chose Dr.Tom Parker, one of the foremostbuilders of the Nova Scotia TeachersUnion and a recognized leader in edu-cation.

Dr. Parker’s drive and organiza-tional abilities saw the NSTU grow froman organization representing some3,200 members in 1954 to 9,200 mem-bers when he retired as NSTU execu-tive secretary 16 years later. Prior tothis, he served not only as president ofthe NSTU but became the first NovaScotian to lead the Canadian Teachers’Federation (CTF).

Dr. Parker also served as a teach-ing consultant in such countries asTrinidad and Tobago, the United Statesand Ghana, as well as in the provincesof Quebec and Prince Edward Island.

As a young man, Parker was a fineathlete, coach and referee. He wasinvolved in a variety of social serviceand community activities that remaineda consistent theme throughout hiscareer.

Educated at Dalhousie andColumbia Universities, Parker beganhis teaching career at Chebucto Schoolin 1933. By 1944 he was principal atBloomfield School.

At Bloomfield, Parker initiated thefirst community-based adult educationprogram.

After 37 years as an educator andNSTU leader, Parker took up a newchallenge at Dalhousie, where heserved as the director of summerschool and extension programs for afurther eight years.

Following his lengthy career,Parker maintained his interest in theUnion and in lifelong learning, andserved as a volunteer with theCanadian Mental Health Association.

The quality and importance of Dr.Tom Parker’s contributions can be seenin the many tributes he has received. Aswell as having the NSTU building dedi-cated in his name, Parker was awardedan honourary doctorate of laws and let-ters by Dalhousie University and wasnamed a member of the Order ofCanada.

Dr. Tom Parker passed away inAugust of 1998.

Below: The Ravenswood property, future site of theNSTU central office, 1967.


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NSTU Central Office—A Work in Progress...

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5

6

The first offices of the Union were located onBarrington Street (1953); in 1959, the NSTUmoved to new headquarters on South Park (1). Plansfor an ambitious new building began in the late1960s. The Provincial Executive and executive staffofficers (2) presided at the turning of the first sod,1968. Construction (3) progressed through to comple-tion in 1969 (4). The addition of a third floor in1981 dramatically changed the appeareance of thebuilding (5), shown here at the NSTU’s centenary,1995. Finally, in 2000 a major renovation expandedavailable office and meeting space and updated thebuilding’s exterior. The building was named the Dr.Tom Parker Building in 1992—see “Who Was Dr.Tom Parker?”, left.


A milestone was achieved in 1969 when,after years of Union effort, the Education Act wasamended to provide for a new Section 76,defining probationary and permanent contracts.Previously, both types of contracts could beterminated at the will of the employing board,with no recourse for the teacher. Now a board ofreference provision was included for anypermanent contract teacher who wished to appealthe termination of a contract. However, since theMinister had not approved forms for suchcontracts, the effect of this legislation was limited.This problem would not be solved until 1972.

On May 14th, 1969, the new NSTUHeadquarters building was opened on DutchVillage Road. At that time, Tom Parker wasExecutive Secretary (Director) and Rod Frederickswas President.

From The Teacher, November 15, 1971

New NSTU crestapproved by provincialexecutive

The Nova Scotia Teachers Union has anew crest.

The provincial executive of the Unionvoted unanimously on October 23 to adopta new design submitted by the PublicRelations Committee.

The new designcomprised the NovaScotia flagemblazoned on the cross-bar of a “T”. Thebottom of the “T” then forms the inside of ared “U” which in turn is designed as thebottom of the overall shield on which thered, white and bluedesign is laid.

Les Walker,communications officer,designed the new crest. In submitting it tothe provincial executive on behalf of the PRCommittee, he noted the design eliminatesthe “N.S.” letters in the NSTU, replacingthem with what he described as “the mostbeautiful flag in thecountry, if not the world.”

The new designrepresents the culmination of several years’attempt to find a suitable crest or symbol.

In his presentation, Mr. Walker notedthe open “T” which includes the flag,represents the open-mindedness of today’sprofessional teachers, while the solid “U”denotes the solidarity of the TeachersUnion.

The new design willbe used immediately in thenew NSTU membershipand past-presidents’ pins.


The 1970s

Even though times were still prosperous, thefirst signs of fiscal restraint were appearing in theearly 1970s. Nonetheless, it was during thisdecade that the NSTU achieved significant gains:

(1) in 1972 the board of reference legislationreferred to earlier (Section 76 of theEducation Act) was finallymade functional;

(2) the Teachers’ CollectiveBargaining Act was passed in1974.

The TCBA allowed bargaining at theprovincial level for salaries and some benefits, andlocal bargaining in the areas of sabbatical leaves,service gratuities and job security. Also included inthe Act were dispute resolution mechanisms:strike action at the provincial level and bindingarbitration at the local level.

In 1975 the Union’s new Economic WelfareCommittee held its first meeting. An askingpackage procedure was adopted at this meetingand the first asking package itself was alsofinalized. In late December, 1975, themembership voted overwhelmingly to approve aproposed settlement that had been worked outearlier in the month.

In 1976-77, the NSTU became thebargaining agent for the Atlantic ProvincesSpecial Education Authority (APSEA) teachers atthe Resource Centres for the Hearing andVisually Impaired and in “out” classes scatteredacross the Atlantic Provinces.

The December 1974 cover of TheTeacher notes November 25th as the“Historic Date”—the date that Bills63 (the Collective Bargaining Act)and 64 (the Teaching Profession Act)came into effect, permitting teacherscollective bargaining rights includingthe right to strike.

A 1971 cover of The Teacher proclaims “Crisis in Education”;despite this inauspicious beginning, the decade saw manyprofessional gains for teachers.


The NSTU had always been concernedabout its role in improving the calibre of teachersentering the profession and in enhancing thestatus of teacher education. In the 1970s, severalconferences and seminars were held with teachers,Department of Education officials andrepresentatives of teacher training institutions.And the Advisory Council on Teacher Educationof 1975-76 adopted a number of Union proposals

Schools Today chairs, 1977: John MacDonald, Bridgewater; Peter Oickle, Truro; Chris Mullalley, Pugwash;Jane Aalders, Kentville; NSTU President Joseph Maidment; and Wayne MacGillivray, New Glasgow.

Administrators voted unanimously in1973 to remain NSTU members afteran assessment committee examined theSchool Administrators Association andits role within the NSTU.

about strengthening teacher training: although theDepartment did not adopt them, some of theteacher training institutions did so by increasingthe duration of the practicum as well as theprofessional component of their programs.

The Union’s publication, which hadundergone several name changes, became TheTeacher in 1970, with Les Walker as its editor. Hewas also in charge of the Union communications

program. The Public RelationsCommittee became the PublicRelations and CommunicationsCommittee at this time.

In 1974, ten MediaLiaison Officers (MLOs) wereappointed across Nova Scotia toprovide all NSTUcommunications from thePresident, Executive Directorand Provincial Executive to localmedia, as well as monitoringlocal news stories andcommunity relations.

The highly successfulSchools Today program wasstarted in order to showcase thewide variety of programs inschools across the provincethrough exhibits, slide showsmurals, music and artwork.

The first pre-retirementseminar was held in Sydney in1979.


Les Walker, NSTUCommunications Officer andeditor of The Teacher,presents at the 1977Communications Conference.

Panelists Patrick Pardoe, editor, Bridgewater Bulletin; RobertSayer, vice-president Federation of Home and School Associations;John MacDonald, Media Liaison Officer Queens-Lunenburg;Peter Oickle, MLO Colchester East Hants; Emmet Currie, moder-ator, NSTU executive assistant; and Paul Zann, Nova ScotiaTeachers College, participate in a discussion of the NSTU’s role andpublic image in the communityat the 1977 CommunicationsConference.The Media Liaison Officerswere an important factor inlocal public relations for theUnion in the 1970s.

Placard-carrying marchers ring the Provincial Legislature during a May 17, 1976 parent-teacher demonstration


The 1980sThe 1980s began with both Canada and the

United States in the throes of an economicrecession. Double-digit inflation exceeded 12% in1981. The federal government attempted to put atight rein on money supply through the Anti-Inflation Board’s measures.

Premier Buchanan had a provincial restraintprogram put into place in this province: salaryincreases were held to a 6% maximum over thistime period.

In Nova Scotia, the government appointed acommission on Public School Finance, whichproduced a report now known as the WalkerReport. Its main recommendation was a fundingformula based on student numbers, greaterprovincial contribution to education and areduction in the number of school boards frommore than 80 to 21. The reduction had earlierbeen recommended in the 1974 GrahamCommission Report.

In 1982 the NSTU put in place a model for

21 district locals, matching the 21 new schoolboards.

The Walker formulas were driven bynumber of students (fewer students = fewerdollars = fewer teachers) and student enrolmentswere declining. In order to combat the effects ofdeclining enrolments and save teaching positions,a number of items were negotiated at theprovincial level. Among these were a deferredsalary leave plan (1981), severance pay andprovincial staff placement arrangements (1983).At the local level, improved transfer clauses, job-sharing plans and seniority clauses weresuccessfully negotiated (1981-82)


Aviso, the NSTU’s professional journal, debuted in spring of 1986. Aviso was originally envisioned by NSTU PastPresident Brian McCabe, and its first editor was executive assistant Peter McCreath.


In spring, 1982 there were a number ofteacher terminations due to cutbacks.Twenty-nine permanent contract teacherslost their positions with the Northside-Victoria School Board. The NSTU decidedon a province-wide withdrawal of voluntaryservices on May 31st, followed by a strikevote June 7th, if no settlement had beenreached. By May 25th, the situation wasresolved: all teachers were reinstated.

The Atlantic Institute of Education,which promoted cooperation among alleducation partners, was instructed to close itsdoors by the provincial government, to thedismay of the NSTU and many of itsmembers.

In 1983, the NSTU ran a very successfulpublic campaign, “What’s Left”. It opposed thegovernment’s restraint program and emphasizedthe need for collective bargaining.

The NSTU also worked to help teachersthreatened with job loss by holding jobfairs and participating in theUtilization of Personnelcommittee.

In 1984, Dr. NormanFergusson retired. He hadbeen a NSTU staff membersince 1956, and ExecutiveDirector since 1970.

During the 1980s,several positive initiativescame into being at theorganizational level. In 1980,the NSTU Status of Womencommittee was set up. It laterchanged its name to theWomen in Educationcommittee. In 1985, the NSTU established apolicy statement on the involvement of women inleadership roles in education and in 1987 AnnualCouncil delegates approved resolutions includingaffirmative action for hiring practices of theDepartment of Education and the NSTU.

In 1985, the NSTU administered SHARE,(Students Helping African Relief Efforts) whichraised funds for famine victims: a total of$178,000.

In 1985 and 1986, WOW (Work OrientationWorkshops) pairing newly graduated unemployedteachers and at-risk students were highly successful.They would continue for a number of years.

In 1986, the President’s column in theTeacher appeared for the first time in French.

Aviso, the NSTU’s professionaljournal, appeared for the first time inSpring 1986.

In the areas of professionaldevelopment, staff officer Jim MacKayconducted school-based staff developmentseminars, starting in 1987.

A third floor was added to the NSTUbuilding in 1981. It housed the Library, the

Nova Scotia Teachers’ Credit Union, andoffice/meeting space.

At the end of the ’80s, in the face ofconcerns about job loss and shrinking educationfunding, the NSTU was able to make progress insuch member service areas as group insurance. TheSALCON (Salary Continuation) open enrolmentcampaign was a huge success. Teachers who joinedSALCON were able to do so without medicalevidence—meaning that many who were previouslyunable to purchase disability insurance now couldhave the coverage they required.

Dr. Norman Fergusson

The NSTU gives input into the government’s plan fora system of community colleges.


Long term planninghas always been anNSTU hallmark.In 1982, the NSTUbegan an ad campaignlooking ahead to themillennium; MargaretSwan, principal of theNova Scotia TeachersCollege anticipated, in1981, an upcomingteacher shortage; then-President Karen WillisDuerden wrote, in an1988 article for TheTeacher, predictions often education issues ofthe nineties, includingsuch topics as capitalconstruction pressureand teacher replace-ment.

Looking Ahead


The 1990sThe 1990s opened on a sombre note as

Canadians grieved for the female student victimsof the Montreal Massacre of December 6th, 1989.

In January, 1990, the NSTU was part of amassive rally in the Town of Canso,protesting the government’shandling of the fisheries crisis andthe proposed shutdown of thetown’s fish plant, affecting adultsand children alike.

And Nova Scotia teachers wereabout to face the most difficult and challengingdecade they had ever experienced since the hardtimes of the thirties.

NSTU President Karen Willis Duerdenstated accurately that teachers “appear to be in forretrenchment, restraint and possible cutbacks yetagain.”

Nineteen-ninety saw the equivalent of 200teaching positions cut and programscompromised, due to cuts in school boardfunding. The NSTU organized a Crisis Task

Force and later put together CHIIP, a CrisisHelp Information Input Package workshop toassist locals in their own informationdissemination, strategy and action planning.

Donald Cameron’s new Torygovernment introduced Bill 160—a two-year

wage freeze on public sector salaries. For teachers,who were in the third year of a three-yearagreement, this was a breach of the collectiveagreement in place.

Some of the buttons created by the NSTU Public Relations department over the years.


The Cameron government also unilaterallyreduced its committed contributions to retiredteachers’ health care premiums by 35% in order togarnishee pension cheques to recover premiumbenefits.

Inspired by the Doane Raymond Report, itbrought in a new Schools Act in 1991, replacingthe School Boards Act and the School BoardsMembership Act, effectively bringing the boardsunder tighter financial control.

Finally, it capped funding at 2%, indicatingthat it would be tied to an undefined “core”curriculum.

The NSTU responded with massiveprotests. Three rallies on May 29th, 1991, at theLegislature in Halifax, as well as in sydney andYarmouth, brought out almost half the province’s11,000 teachers in response to these harsh,unacceptable measures.

Strike action was deemed inadvisable as atactic to force the repeal of Bill 160. Thus theUnion began an active campaign around theprovincial municipal elections, urgingmembers to elect pro-education councillorsand progressive school board members.

At Council ’91, a resolution was passedthat the NSTU withdraw from Department ofEducation task forces or committees until itsdispute with the government be satisfactorilyresolved.

Later the Union launched a lawsuitagainst the provincial government for itsbreaking of the collective agreement by theimposition of Bill 160. This suit was eventuallydefeated, when the International LabourOrganization (ILO) upheld the legality of theBill 160 in April 1993. The suit still had served auseful purpose in keeping the government’s lackof good faith in this matter before the public eyefor an extended period of time.

The Union achieved a long-awaited victorywhen, in May 1993, it signed an agreement withthe province. This agreement addressed theunfunded liability of the teachers’ pension plan.

In 1992, Tom Parker was honoured as theNSTU building was named after him. AsPresident from 1949 to 1951, Canadian Teachers’Federation President in 1951 and as NSTUExecutive Directorfrom 1954 to1970, he hadcontributed agreat deal to theteachingprofession.

Also in1992, Councilearmarked $10,000– one dollar hermember – for thedistress relief of thefamilies of


miners killedin theWestraytragedy.

TheNSTUreleased twomajor studiesin 1991 and1992: theStudy ofPublicOpinion

Regarding Education Issues in Nova Scotia and theKey Issues in Education Survey which targetedNSTU members. Excerpts of each were publishedin the Teacher with the aim of stimulatingdiscussion and dialogue.

The “A Fresh Start…Take Part!” campaign in1993 urged teachers to get involved in theelectoral process on many levels when anotherprovincial election was called in 1993 and tosupport those candidates committed to quality

public education for Nova Scotia’s children.

On the eve of the provincial election,Council voted to return to committees and taskforces “notwithstanding the intransigence of thecurrent government with respect to the collectivebargaining process”. It wished to ensure that thevoice of the NSTU would still be heard on suchcommittees.

A new Liberal government came to powerunder Dr. John Savage. The Savage period mightbe named “Variations on a Single Theme” – thattheme being cutbacks.

Three months into their mandate, the newgovernment passed Bill C-41: the Unpaid LeaveAct. This was a four-day unpaid layoff: the“clawback”. With this forced leave legislation, thegovernment broke its collective agreement withNova Scotia’s teachers.

This was shortly followed by Bill 82, whichslashed 10% from the education budget over afour-year period. This translated into an


$80,000,000 cut and was a devastating blow to thesystem.

In June, 1994, a collective agreement wasnarrowly approved by NSTU members. PresidentJohn MacDonald called this “making the best of abad situation”.

An early retirement package wasimplemented for the period August 1, 1994 forJuly 31, 1998. Figures released by the Teachers’Pension Board indicated that almost 800 teachershad taken this option.

In November 1994, the NSTU withdrewfrom the Education Funding Review WorkGroup. This group annually recommends levels ofschool board funding to the Minister ofEducation and Cabinet. Participation had provedimpossible for the NSTU, since its representativewas placed in a position where some Groupinitiatives could not be supported. The Groupconfidentiality requirement prevented consultationwith the Provincial Executive.

By 1995, the NSTU’s centennial year,teachers were discouraged by the government’sactions toward the education system as a whole.

Then the government released a whitepaper, Education Horizons, proposingamalgamation of the province’s 22 school boardsinto 5 or 7 regional boards, along with increasedlocal influence through the creation of schoolcouncils. All francophone schools would be part ofone board.

The NSTU responded with Still Seeking aVision, a Partnership, a Process, suggesting that thegovernment evaluate its school-basedmanagement pilot project schools beforerestructuring the system.

The government next introduced Bill 39, anew Education Act, which presented the Unionwith major difficulties. These included thepotential for:

• eradicating the collective bargainingprocess

• creating inequities in disadvantaged areas

• subjecting teachers and principals toministerial disciplinary action, if avaguely-worded list of standards andduties was not observed.

Furthermore, it contained a blanket clauseenabling the Minister to do what he deemedappropriate to apply the legislation.

This brought Nova Scotia teachers to thebrink of a province-wide strike. Afterrepresentations to government from the Union,the strike warning was withdrawn. The Act thenbecame legislation in January 1996.

The Community College Act also became lawat this time. A memorandum of agreement wassigned between the Minister and the NSTU inJanuary 1996. As a result, teachers in thecommunity college system enjoyed enhancedprotection.

“O’Keefe electedvice-president ofworld’s largestunion,” announcedthe headline in TheTeacher. GregO’Keefe, pastpresident of theNova ScotiaTeachers Union andnow an honorarymember, became thevice president ofEducationInternational in1995.


On the organizational front, the NSTUmarked a significant milestone on April 24th,1996: all the province’s teachers voted to elect theUnion’s president, rather than their representativesat Annual Council, as had previously been thecase. Donnie MacIntyre was elected at a run-offelection May 13th.

As a result of an Annual Council resolutionand guidelines approved by the ProvincialExecutive, all interested NSTU members werenow able to attend the monthly ProvincialExecutive meetings. This move wasmade “in an attempt to keep themembership informed and letthem see first-hand theworkings of their ProvincialExecutive” according toincoming PresidentMacIntyre.

The NSTU andMount Saint VincentUniversity addressed the growingproblem of child poverty in 1996and 1997, with two conferences held atMSVU, the first in February 1996 and the secondin March 1997. The scope, effects and costs of theproblem were identified, with particular referenceto education. Suggestions were generated forlegislators tackling the problem in Canada andother nations.

The NSTU symposium “Violence in thePublic School System of Nova Scotia” dealt with theunderlying causes of the problem and ways ofhandling it in the classroom as well as long-termstrategies for its eradication. Audio and videotapesof the symposium, discussions and a resource kitof materials were eventually developed fordistribution and use in schools across Nova Scotia.

May 14th, 1997, was NSTU Day at theNova Scotia Teachers’ College. President

MacIntyre and Executive Director MacKayconducted workshops on NSTU programs andservices for the last graduating class. The proud143- year-old institution closed its doors on May18th, 1997.

May Council that year passed resolutionsgiving substitute teachers increased status in theorganization, including the right to hold office.

More than 135 new members were addedwhen community college instructors previously

represented by the NSGEU voted to join theranks of the NSTU during the summer

of 1997. Now the NSTU representsall community college faculty and

professional support staff.

One of the changes in thestructure of the NSTU localssince the most recent schoolboard amalgamation was the

creation of a new NSTU local: LeConseil syndical acadien de la

Nouvelle-Écosse (CSANE). This localmatches the formation of the province’s

first francophone school board, representingteachers in francophone schools across theprovince.

In fall 1997, Nova Scotia teachers supportedtheir colleagues in Ontario when the Harrisgovernment introduced a bill that would removethousands of teachers from the classrooms andcancel major programs.

In January 1998, the NSTU ratified its firsttwo-year collective agreement since the end of thewage freeze legislation in October 1997. Itcontained modest salary gains, a six-month salarydeferral plan and measures to improve workingconditions.

In fall 1998, the NSTU launched acampaign, “Each One Reach One,” designed to


build Union participation at the local level, oneteacher at a time. The focus on building activemembership is a necessity for the health andrenewal of the Union, since half the province’sactive teachers will be retiring by 2008.

The NSTU also intensified its efforts in thisarea by creating the post of Coordinator of UnionLeadership Development and OutreachPrograms.

When Hurricane Mitch rampaged acrossCentral America on October 27th, 1998 andcaused major destruction in Honduras, the NSTUlaunched a two-part relief effort. Part One was“Angels for Honduras”, a pre-holiday fundraisingblitz, into which teachers, parents and schools put

2

Honduras Education and Learning Project

energy and generosity. A total sum of $61,135.26was raised in 13 days and a cheque in that amountwas presented to the International Red Cross fourdays before Christmas, earmarked for Hondurasrelief.

Part Two of the project was the HondurasEducation and Learning Project (HELP2), afundraising campaign designed to provideassistance to the teachers and students ofHonduras through the provision of school supplykits. Over $33,000 was raised.

The NSTU presented a report, OurView…Cape Breton County–A Community in Crisisto the provincial and federal governments, callingupon them to recognize the economic crisis in theregion and take the necessary actions to preventthe economic demise of Cape Breton County.This took place in May 1999, when thedownsizing and closure of DEVCO wereannounced.

In May 1999, the NSTU announced theformation of the Sheonoroil Foundation forResearch into School Violence. It was organizedto address the concerns of public school teachersabout school violence. School-based research,funded by the Foundation, would be madeavailable to classroom colleagues across theprovince.


John Hamm’s Tory government formed afiscal management task force in October 1999.The NSTU’s submission contained a list ofrecommendations focused on educational issuesand concerns centered on government opennessand accountability. The government’s final report,after all submissions were in and province-widehearings completed, recommended an “exercise”by each department in cutting 15% and 30% fromtheir budgets and eliminating the deficit in twoyears. The message of teachers and all othersconcerned with the underfunding of education inthe province over the past ten years wentunheeded.

NSTU teachersnarrowly ratified aprovincial agreement whilethe government waspreparing its budget.

By the year 2000,the ProfessionalServices division of theNSTU increased to fourpositions. This enabled the Union to expand therange of services available to members.

In addition to professional development,curriculum and certification support, the NSTU

was now able to offer services in the areas ofleadership development, new teacher andadministrator support and education technology.

Two studies were undertaken on behalf ofteachers. The first was a groundbreaking studyinto teachers’ time spent on and off the job whichfound, among other things, that they spent anaverage of 52.4 hours per week on job-relatedactivities. The other study gathered data fromteachers on the direct impact of education cutsalready experienced in their classrooms.

The NSTU, together with parents, students,school board members and other concernedcitizens, raised their voices loudly against thedevastating cuts to education in Hamm’s first

budget. The “Voices of Concern” campaign wasunderway. Massive protests at the legislature

and in all parts of the province helped topressure the government to put some

funding back into thesystem.

And the NSTUwill continue to hold the government accountablefor its commitment to quality education for thechildren of this province.


SELECTED REFERENCES

Aviso: 100th Anniversary Commemorative Edition: 1995.

Bulletin of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union: 1922-1960.

Cook, John and Berton Robinson. Nova Scotia: Three

Hundred Years in Education. [Armdale, N.S.]

Nova Scotia Teachers Union, 1981.

Fergusson, Norman H. “An Historical Sketch of the NSTU,”

The Teacher v. 21, no. 1, September 16, 1981:

Supplement.

Fergusson, Norman H. Reorganization of the Nova Scotia

Teachers Union in 1921 & Earlier History.

[Armdale, N.S.] Nova Scotia Teachers Union,

1981.

Fergusson, Norman H. The Story of the Nova Scotia

Teachers Union. [Armdale, N.S.] Nova Scotia

Teachers Union, 1990.

Nova Scotia Teachers Union Newsletter: 1963-1971.

Parker, Tom. A History of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union:

Its Struggles and Achievements 1950-1963.

[Armdale, N.S.] Nova Scotia Teachers Union,

1963.

The Teacher: 1965-2000


Above: One Hundred Years of Leadership—NSTU Presidents from 1895 to 1996. For a com-plete listing of names and dates, see page 37.

Far left: In 1996, Donnie MacIntyre was electedNSTU president by universal suffrage, ratherthan by representatives at Annual Council.

Left: Brian Forbes was elected president in 2000.

NSTU PresidentsThe NSTU was first organized in 1895-96. It was reorganized in 1921 with the late H.H.

Blois as president and the late Dr. M.M. Coady as secretary.

NSTU Leaders: Past and Present


NSTU Executive Directors from 1942 to the present. From left: Bradford E. Finigan, 1942-1953; Dr.Tom Parker, 1954-1970; Dr. Norman Fergusson, 1970-1984; Emmet Currie, 1984-1992; RonaldMorrison, 1992-1994; Jim MacKay, 1994-2001

NSTU Leaders: Past and Present

NSTU Executive Directors


1921-1922 ......Hope H. Blois †

1922-1923 ......John T. MacLeod †

1923-1924 ......Hubert Y. Haines †

1924-1925 ......Alex O’Handley †

1925-1929 ......Frederick G. Morehouse †

1929-1930 ......J. Arthur Goode †

......John J. Oliver †

1930-1931 ......Frederick G. Morehouse †

1931-1933 ......Stewart Robinson †

1933-1935 ......Wallace L. Barteaux †

1935-1938 ......A. Norman MacDonald †

1938-1939 ......Alex Laidlaw †

1939-1940 ......W. Darrell Mills †

1940-1941 ......Alphee T. Boudreau †

1941-1942 ......Horace H. Wetmore †

1942-1943 ......George W. MacKenzie †

1943-1944 ......Chelsey G. Mosher †

1944-1947 ......John F. Marsters †

1947-1949 ......Gerald E. Tingley †

1949-1951 ......Tom Parker †

1951-1952 ......Gerald E. Tingley †

1952-1953 ......R. Oliver Gibson †

1953-1956 ......J. Frank Glasgow

1956-1958 ......Gene Morison †

1958-1959 ......Charles E. Eaton †

1959-1962 ......George MacIntosh †

1962-1965 ......Florence Wall †

1965-1966 ......James E. Deagle †

1966-1969 ......Rod G. Fredericks †

1969-1972 ......Boyd B. Barteaux †

1972-1974 ......Mary Roach

1974-1976 ......Dominique Henry

1976-1978 ......Joseph Maidment

1978-1980 ......Gregory O’Keefe

1980-1984 ......Harold Doucette

1984-1986 ......Brian McCabe †

1986-1990 ......Karen Willis Duerden

1990-1992 ......Russell MacDonald

1992-1996 ......John MacDonald

1996-2000 ......Donnie MacIntyre

2000 ......Brian Forbes

NSTU Presidents Since 1921† indicates deceased

NSTU Presidents Prior to 19211895, 1896 Robert MacLellan

1903 David Soloan

1908, 1910, 1912 W.A. Creelman

1916, 1918, 1920 R.W. Ford


Mr. Arthur T. Conrad

Dr. T. L. Sullivan

Hon. Robert L. Stanfield

Dr. Norman Fergusson

Mr. Murray Fahie

Mr. Gerald McCarthy

Ms. Margaret Swan

Mr. L. Emmet Currie

Mr. Ronald Morrison

Mr. W. Ronald MacPherson

Mr. Greg O’Keefe

Mr. Les Walker

Deceased:

Mr. H.H. Blois

Mr. Fred Phelan

Dr. M.M. Coady

Mr. C.L. Filmore

Dr. J.P. McCarthy

Dr. Ian Forsythe

Sister Rose Catherine

Mr. John Oliver

Justice V.P. Pothier

Dr. M.V. Marshall

Sir Ronald Gould

Mrs. Gene Morison Hicks

Dr. H.D. Hicks

Dr. H.P. Moffatt

Rev. Dr. Malcolm MacLellan

Ms. Margaret Graham

Dr. Florence Wall

Mr. Rod Fredericks

Dr. Tom Parker

Honorary Members

landmarks and challenges - nova scotia teachers union main source of information dating from 1895 to...

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