P.E.I. teachers get 7% raise over 3 years

P.E.I. teachers will receive a seven-per-cent raise over three years in a new three-year collective agreement reached through binding arbitration.

The collective agreement between the province and P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, which represents the Island's 2,200 teachers, runs from Sept. 1, 2015 to August 31, 2018.

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The arbitration board held hearings on May 17 and 18 and released its decision earlier this week.

Teachers' federation president Bethany MacLeod said the deal is fair.

We are happy that we were able to make reasonable gains for teachers. P.E.I. Teachers' Federation president Bethany MacLeod

"We are happy that we were able to make reasonable gains for teachers," she said.

"It isn't often that teachers and government can't reach an agreement on their own, but teachers feel this has been a fair process, and that this process hasn't disrupted teaching and learning in the classroom."

No contract since August

Issues around working conditions and maternity leave were also settled. Further details of the agreement will be shared with the Board of Governors at an information meeting next week, MacLeod said.

Teachers had been without a contract since last August.

Talks went to binding arbitration after negotiations broke down in October.

The last time a collective agreement for Island teachers was settled through arbitration was in 2001.

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