by Teachers in the province are voting on a tentative contract today in the midst of discontent with their union over the deal.
Meanwhile, the McNeil government might be indicating some concern about how the vote will go after taking out newspaper ads in support of the agreement, today.
Some teachers say they feel the union didn’t represent their interests in negotiating the contract.
Last week, six former Teachers’ Union presidents issued a joint statement urging the union to take a second look at the agreement.
They say the union’s negotiating team should’ve held talks directly with the government instead of through the union’s lawyer, Ron Pink.
They also say non-monetary concessions the province has given in the deal are not likely to last, even if the tentative agreement is ratified.
The five-year deal would see no wage increases in the first two years, and a total increase of 3% over the following three years.
Whether teachers vote to accept the deal could affect the way other public sector unions respond to the McNeil government’s efforts to negotiate contracts that keep labour costs in check.