It would be the first strike in the Nova Scotia Community College’s (NSCC) history, if a deal is not reached.

NSCC and the Atlantic Academic Union (AAU) have been negotiating a new collective agreement since August, with a conciliator appointed in January.

The key issues they are fighting for include wages, workload, working conditions and fair hiring.

In a statement, the union says, more than 75 per cent of members voted down the latest offer from NSCC last week, which would provide a 7 or 8 per cent pay increase over three years.

President of AAU, Barbara Gillis says this is behind other institutions as well as the inflationary rate of 14 per cent.

Student Support

Students have showed solidarity with members.

They have not only written to the college but have also created a petition.

According to the AAU, some are even in jeopardy of losing their entire academic year.

This includes those who are enrolled in certain programs ‘subject to national and provincial regulations.’

Other students are pursuing legal action to pressure the college into providing, what the union calls, a reasonable offer.

Meanwhile, NSCC says they remain committed to reaching collective agreements that will ‘strengthen the working and learning environment’ for both employees and students, without the need for job action.

The two sides meet again Thursday, but if there is no agreement reached, members could walk off the job, by next Monday.

The AAU represents over 1,000 members, nearly half of the college’s provincial workforce.