Nunavik board, teachers continue wage talks

The Kativik School Board says it is “surprised” by the reaction of Nunavik teachers to their latest offer for a new collective agreement.

Nunavik school teachers overwhelmingly rejected the Kativik School Board’s final offer Feb. 8.

Members of the Association of Employees of Northern Quebec voted against 88 per cent against the offer, while 85 per cent voted in favour of tougher pressure tactics – among them, a one-day strike set for March 8.

The KSB said its Jan. 28 offer included a reasonable response to teachers’ demands, said Jean-Claude Turcotte, a spokesperson for the KSB and Quebec’s education department.

Turcotte said the school board responded to the union’s demands for the creation of a policy for students with special needs, promising to put that policy in place by May 2011.

“The KSB recognizes the importance of working in partnership with its workers towards prevention and intervention for students at risk,” Turcotte said.

The school board also proposed the creation of a regional committee made up of school board management, professionals, teachers and support staff to respond to student evaluations and recommendations made by local school committees.

As well, the KSB offer included increased professional support and “tools” to deal with those students.

“This is an important file for us,” Turcotte said. “It’s considered an important priority for both parties, to find something that works within northern reality.”

But the KSB still says the school calendar should be kept as it is now, despite the union’s push to adopt a more “culturally appropriate” calendar.

Responding to a news release put out by the AENQ last week, Turcotte said the board was surprised to see mention of a cap on class sizes, adding that demand did not come up in negotiations.

“I’m curious to know what the union is looking for,” he said. “The average class size is much lower in Nunavik than in other school boards across Quebec.”

In response to the union’s threat of a series of strikes — the first one scheduled for March 8 — Turcotte said the board hopes to avoid any interruption to school services.

“Much effort has been made to reach an agreement,” he said, “and we don’t like the fact that negotiations have been prolonged.”

Turcotte said they school board is prepared to explain its position a second time, in hopes the union is open to more dialogue.

Since Turcotte spoke to Nunatsiaq News Feb. 16, the two sides agreed to resume talks, behind closed doors, on Feb. 22.

For now, teachers still plan a one-day strike March 8, a strike for two days in early in April, for three in May and so on.

But AENQ president Patrick D’Astous previously said those plans could be called off at any time, depending on progress made in talks.