Membership

Categories of Membership

Members of the Nova Scotia Teachers Union consist of active members, retired members, associate members,  active reserve members,  regular reserve members, and honourary members.

Active Member

1. Those persons described by Section 12 of the Teaching Profession Act;
2. Those persons employed by way of regular, probationary and term contract included in a bargaining unit of employees and/or in the Faculty or Professional Support collective agreements of the Nova Scotia Community College represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union as their bargaining agent pursuant to the Trade Union Act.
3. Persons who are teachers within the meaning of the Teaching Profession Act who are employed by the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority.
4. Those members are eligible for active participation in Union affairs, including all voting, contingent upon the payment of NSTU fees, as set by Council.  Notwithstanding limitations placed on participation in Union affairs through the failure to pay Union fees, contractual rights are maintained as long as a contractual and legal relationship exists with the bargaining unit employer. (2009-1)

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Active Reserve Member

(a)  An Active Reserve Member is a teacher or other qualified person engaged on a day-to-day basis to take the place of a person regularly employed as a teacher by a school board, who has been employed as such for not less than fifteen (15) days in the preceding and/or the current school year, and who:

(i)  pays an annual membership fee as fixed from time to time by Council;

(ii) pays Union fees on a per diem basis as fixed from time to time by Council; and,

(iii) has the rights of membership as outlined in Article I 10. (b), except that the right to vote in matters pertaining to contract applies only to collective agreements negotiated solely on their behalf pursuant to the Teachers’ Collective Bargaining Act.

(b) A teacher having completed a term contract may use the days taught during the preceding or current year to satisfy the 15 day teaching requirement specified in (a) above, for Active Reserve Membership during the current year.

(c)  A person retiring from teaching in Nova Scotia may use the days taught during the year of retirement to satisfy the 15-day teaching requirement, specified in (a) above, for Active Reserve Membership during the year of retirement or the year following retirement. This provision may be used only once.

(d)  An Active Reserve Member is a person employed in an auxiliary position in a bargaining unit of employees of the Nova Scotia Community College represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union as their bargaining agent pursuant to the Trade Union Act.

For further information on Reserve and Active Reserve Membership click here. 

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Regular Reserve Member

(a)  A Regular Reserve Member is a teacher or other qualified person engaged on a day-to-day basis to take the place of a person regularly employed as a teacher by a school board and who:

(i)  pays an annual membership fee as fixed from time to time by Council;

(ii) pays Union dues on a per diem basis as fixed from time to time by Council;

(iii) has all the rights of reserve members pursuant to Article I 10. (c); and

(iv )upon qualification, may become an Active Reserve Member.

(b)  A Regular Reserve Member is a person employed in an auxiliary position in a bargaining unit of employees of the Nova Scotia Community College represented by the Nova Scotia Teachers Union as their bargaining agent pursuant to the Trade Union Act.

For further information on Reserve and Active Reserve Membership click here. 

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Retired Member

A Retired Member may be a person who has retired under a provision of the Teachers’ Pension Act. A Retired Member may be a person included in the Faculty and Professional Support Bargaining Units of the Nova Scotia Community College who has retired under a provision of the Public Service Superannuation Plan.

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Associate Member

1. an active member on leave of absence;
2. a member of the faculty of a provincial university; or
3. an education student at a university;

Associate Membership

Associate membership in the NSTU is available to active members on leave of absence, education students and members of faculty at provincial universities and persons holding a teachers' certificate or vocational teachers' certificate teaching in a non-core program in the Nova Scotia Community College. To apply for associate membership, download the application form (2014-2015), or to apply and remit payment online, click here (2014-2015).

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Honourary Member

An Honourary Member is a person upon whom the honour has been conferred by a resolution of Council.

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Other Member

1. Persons who are not automatically members of the Union pursuant to Section 12 of the said Act and who are qualified to be active, retired, reserve or associate members as defined may make application for membership to the Executive Director who shall submit such applications to the Executive which may then accept such applications if it deems the qualifications have been met.
2. A person who is qualified to be an Active Reserve Member or a Regular Reserve Member, but who is not a member of the NSTU, is not entitled to any rights of membership in the NSTU. Such persons shall pay Union fees on a per diem basis as fixed from time to time by Council.

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