The provincial government and the teachers' union won't say whether planned changes to snow day rules that are set to take effect in September will go ahead.
Three times last week, Brunswick News asked the education department for comment about the status of the changes, particularly since the union representing school support staff says it hasn't been consulted - the same reason why the changes were abruptly postponed last November, just hours before a storm was set to cancel classes.
The union, CUPE Local 2745, has language in its collective agreement that would need to change to align with the teachers before the snow day rule changes could proceed. But the issue wasn't discussed during collective bargaining, CUPE Local 2745 president Theresa McAllister told Brunswick News.
The new rules state that if schools are closed because of inclement weather, teachers will be expected to work, a departure from the existing rules. But if both schools and district offices are closed, or classes are dismissed early because of inclement weather, there's no expectation for teachers to work.
Whether that change will happen is a secret.
In response to questions about the changes, the education department first said it was working to provide answers. The department didn't respond to two follow-up emails reiterating the request for comment. The New Brunswick Teachers' Federation, the union, ignored two requests for comment.
When she was campaigning to become premier, Liberal Leader Susan Holt promised that if elected, her government would be "radically transparent." Holt also used that commitment to criticize what she said was a consistent lack of transparency from the Higgs government.
