As the new school year approaches, the union representing school support workers in Nova Scotia is demanding more protection for its 5,000 members who will be returning to the classroom. Representatives from eight locals of the Canadian Union of Public Employees gathered for an outdoor news conference in downtown Halifax to address their concerns. These locals represent a variety of roles, including teaching assistants, early childhood educators, librarians, bus drivers, and other support staff.
Nelson Scott, a local union president in Cape Breton, expressed the fears and frustrations of many members who are anxious about returning to work. He shared stories of colleagues who have faced violence in the workplace, including being slapped, bitten, pinched, and even receiving death threats from students. Scott emphasized the urgent need for action to address these issues and ensure a safe working environment for all support workers.
The union’s campaign, with the slogan ‚back to school, not back to violence,‘ aims to raise awareness about the challenges faced by support staff in schools. A new report prepared by the Canadian Union of Public Employees highlights the experiences of members who have encountered violence in the workplace. The report calls for increased hiring of support workers, higher pay, and better training to handle violent incidents involving students.
The union’s concerns are further supported by a report from Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair, which highlighted the inadequacy of current measures to address school violence. The report noted significant data-collection weaknesses that prevent a full understanding of the extent of the problem. Despite nearly 27,500 reported violent incidents during the previous school year, the true scope of the issue remains unclear.
According to the union’s report, a survey of members revealed that almost half of respondents had experienced violent incidents at least occasionally, with a majority of those affected being women. The report emphasizes the need to address violence in schools as an equity issue, highlighting the disproportionate impact on female support workers.
The union report also includes testimonies from support workers who have faced violence in the workplace. These workers describe being bitten, kicked, slapped, punched, spat on, verbally abused, and threatened by students. Despite reporting these incidents, many feel that little has been done to address the issue, leading to ongoing trauma for both staff and students who witness these events.
At the news conference, school bus driver Jennifer Cox shared her experiences dealing with students who exhibit violent behavior. She highlighted the challenges of ensuring the safety of all passengers while managing disruptive students on the bus. Cox’s testimony underscores the need for better support and resources to address school violence effectively.
The union report attributes the prevalence of violence in schools to understaffing, low pay, inadequate benefits, a convoluted reporting system, and a lack of consistent training. The union calls for improved data collection on school violence, greater analysis of trends, and more involvement of workers in finding solutions to these issues.
While the Nova Scotia government has pledged to address the problem of school violence, the union is pushing for more concrete actions to protect support workers and create a safer learning environment for students. As contract negotiations continue between CUPE workers and the provincial government, the need for meaningful change to address school violence remains a top priority for all stakeholders involved.