My NSTU Dues:
Where do they go?
Prepared by Halifax County Local Executive June 2012
Why This Information?
The most popular question to our Local
Representatives is:
“What does the union do for me?”
“Where do my union dues go?”
These are excellent questions.
Tax Implication
At our maximum ITC salary
of $68 536,
you actually pay $61.33
for every $100 of union dues
Data from 2011-2012
But how much do others pay?
BCTF
ATA
ETFO
NTA
AEFO
MTS
AEFNB
NWTTA
YTA
STF
NBTA
NLTA
QPAT
NSTU
PEITF
$1,200
$1,224
$1,020
$1,020
$ 900
$ 882
$ 847
$ 840
$ 780
$ 774
$ 760
$ 750
$ 738
$ 690
1.69% of salary ($70,000) plus fee to the Local
1.7% of salary ($60,000) (Elem. T of Ont)
1.7% of salary ($60,000) (Nunavut)
(Assoc. des Ens. Francoph. & Franco-Ontariens)
$597 to AEFNB, $250 to NBTA (Franco.schools NB)
1.4% of salary
1.55% of salary
1.25% of salary ($60,000)
$363 QPAT & $375 to Local (Angloph teachers in Q)
(although fixed rate, this is 1.01% of ATC top salary)
1.4% of salary
And what about others’ salary?
Minimum
Salary
Maximum
Salary
Nfld & Labrador
$30,872
$87,792
Nova Scotia
$50,205
$89,598
New Brunswick
$35,568
$81,851
Prince Edward Island
$41,886
$77,052
Jurisdiction
And how much is the increase?
NSTU dues are increasing from $690 - $750
Salary Scale August 1, 2013 - July 31, 2014
Year of Teaching
TC5 ITC
TC6 ATC1
TC7 ATC2
11+ years
$71,654
$ 79,937
$ 84,894
$ 89,598
% dues: salary
1.04%
0.94%
0.88%
0.83%
TC8
ATC3
Salary Scale August 1, 2014 - July 31, 2015
11+ years
$73,804
$82,335
$87,440
$92,286
% dues: salary
1.02%
0.91%
0.86%
0.81%
History
of
increases
since
1980
Dues in other NS professions
CANSnet – $1440 for full membership (Construction)
Doctors NS – $1350 per year
NSGEU – 1.5% of your salary (Ex $60,000 = $900 yr)
NSUPE – 1.35% of salary (Ex $50,000 = $810 yr)
NSNU – $720 per year
Why are dues deducted first ½ year?
The NSTU requires the dues
in the first half of the year in
order to operate for that year.
That way the dues you pay go
toward services you can
access that year. (Usually)
But where does the money GO?!
Nitty Gritty: What am I Getting?
Through our collective agreements: improved working conditions, lines in
the sand that were not there before.
Pre-agreement: Teachers would negotiate for their jobs…
I will take $1,000 per
month, coach 2 teams
and zero sick days
Well, I will work for
$900 per month,
coach 4 teams and
no sick leave
And today, without the NSTU
If we were not members of the NSTU, we would be paying…
Retirement Seminars $300/hr
Lawyer $250/hr
Chiropractor or Massage $80/hr
Glasses $175 more per new pair
Hearing Aid $500 more
Prescriptions $50 - $400 per prescription
And we would lose a day’s pay for
Sick Days for you or family members
Parental Leave / Maternity Leave
Graduations
Bereavement
Funeral attendance
Jury duty
Urgent & Imperative business
What about today?
Unions by nature are a
organization in that those who negotiated
some of those that we consider basics
(like parental leave, insurance, sick days)
well, they did not have them.
And here is how you benefit TODAY
for the dues you paid this year:
Services to members - NSTU
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Total Care Medical
Counselling
Occupational Therapists (EIP)
Professional Development
Member Services
Legal
Negotiations
Webmail
Public Relations
Resilience Program
But what do NSTU Staff DO?
Behind the scenes:
The majority of the work Member Services do is either
behind the scenes or confidential.
• Conversations with the Department of Education
and/or the Minister of the Education, provincial &
federal organisations for public education / teachers
• Checking, helping develop and responding to reports
• Confer with legal counsel when needed to ensure
members’ rights are being honoured, for contractual
issues, etc.
More member services:
The staff officers for member services
advise or meet with members regarding
contractual concerns, discipline issues,
harassment concerns, grievances, etc that
are at a higher level than can be addressed
by the Local President
(They also advise or meet with the Local President
to assist with members’ concerns & issues.)
NSTU services to members
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Working with teachers and schools in crisis:
• Early Intervention Program – 4 OTs
• Counselling Services – 3 Counsellors
• Will do their best to fit in critical cases
• Will travel to your school when there is a crisis
(death of a teacher, student, etc)
Keep in mind that these 4 OTs & 3 Counsellors are serving
all 10,400 NSTU members from around the province
NSTU Services: PD –
Safe & Inclusive Schools/Campuses
Creating Safe Spaces
Homophobia
Diversity
Conflict Resolution
Internet Security
OHS (Occupational Health & Safety)
Violence in Schools
School and Community Relations
Cyber Bullying
Social Justice
Member Services & The Contract
Insurance
Pensions
How Did We Get To Where We Are Now?
Collective Bargaining
Term Teachers
Teachers and the Law
Article 60 Professional Development Fund
Parental Harassment
Nova Scotia Teachers Union
Legislative & Contractual Regime
Legal Literacy
Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave
Provincial/Regional Contracts
Benefits of Membership
Substitute Benefits
Duties of Teachers
Free Sessions
Wellness
Time Management
Teacher Wellness
Unloading Your Cart
Critical Incident
Stress Management
Ergonomics
Workplace Balance
Financial Planning
Surviving the Changing Workplace
Voice Management Strategies
Classroom Connections
Assessment for and of Learning
Cooperative Learning
Differentiated Instructions/Assessment
Supporting the Struggling Reader
Multiple Intelligences
Motivating Sudents
Copyright and the Classroom
Teaching for the 21st Century - Int of Tech
These can be
found on
www.nstu.ca
School/Campus Climate
Classroom Management
Shared Decision Making
School Teams
Change Process
Team Buiilding
True Colors
PEBS
Personality Compas
Gate Keepers Response to Millenials
Five Functions of Effective PLC's
Professional Enhancement & Growth
Certification
Enhancing Teacher Professionalism
NSTU Webmail
NSTU Webmail Address Book
Teacher Voice through NSTU Annual
Council
Strategies for New Administrators
Professional Learning Community
Instructional Leadership
What Great Principals Do
Qualities of Exceptional Teachers
Effective Presentation Skills
On-line Professionalism
Preparing for a Job Interview
Services to Members - Regional
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Halifax Regional Representative Council Chair –
chief spokesperson with Board and to members
Management Teacher Committee
Grievance Chair
Article 60 Committee
Regional Economic Welfare Committee
Regional New Member Committee
Regional Substitute Committee
Regional Public Affairs & Communications Committee
(majority of the people on these committees are volunteers)
Benefits to members - Local
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Full time President
@$80,000 for PD & Curriculum Grants
Workshops, information sessions,
communication and social events
Too many to list here –
see the Year End Report
June 2013
And so many other perks
Most members’ favourite:
You can essentially make
your due$ back every year?
What? How?
Local Level:
$500 Conference Grant
$200 Active Reserve Member Conference Grant
$500 Curriculum Development Assistance Fund (CDAF)
halifaxcountylocal.com
And?
Regional Level a.k.a. Article 60 Funding
$1,100
Conference Grant (every 2 years)
6 substitute days for conferences (3 max at a time)
$ (depends)
Course Grant (up to 80% per unit)
$ + sub day In-Service Promotion Grant
$ salary
Full Year Educational Leave
$ salary
Educational Leave Less Than a Year
And there is more…
Provincial Level
$ 475
Out-of-Province Conference Grant (every 3 years)
$ 5,000
Program Development Assistance Fund
$ 475
Educational Research Grant
$ (depends)
Travel Fellowship
$ 2,000
Full Time Study Grant (when on Educ Leave)
$ (depends)
Sheonroil Foundation Anti-violence Program Funding
In case you missed it…
If in 5 years you were successful with the following:
$1,100
Article 60 Conference Grant
$ 450
Article 60 3 Conference Substitute Days
$ 500
Local Conference Grant
$ 500
CDAF
$5,000
PDAF
$7,550
Total – 10 years worth of NSTU dues
Or 16.4 years worth of dues considering the tax break
More interesting info:
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Legal costs for 2012-2013 was $671,000
One arbitration (successful or not) costs
each of the 3 Locals $5 per member (~$17,000) and
the NSTU pays the rest of the NSTU’s half,
the Board/Dept pays the other half
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The Kids Not Cuts campaign was successful
in educating the public
to speak out for smaller class sizes
in lower elementary
Please remember
The NSTU is membership driven
Budgetary, procedural decisions are impacted by
members
The governing body (Annual Council / Provincial
Executive) are working members
Become informed
Become involved