Halifax - Hundreds of Nova Scotia school employees plan to strike next week after the province rejected a wage increase offer. More than 600 workers at the Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education plan to strike on Monday, while about 160 workers at the South Shore Regional Centre for Education will start a strike on Tuesday, according to the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union.

Sandra Mullen, president of NSGEU, said the strike comes after more than a year of bargaining with wages emerging as a major sticking point.

She said the main issue is that employees in Annapolis Valley and South Shore earn less than employees in Halifax doing the same job.

Mullen said, "School employees deserve to be paid the same salaries from one part of the province to the other. They should get the same pay for doing the same job – that is the minimum."

She said the cost of living in the rural areas of the province has risen in recent years to rival housing and transportation costs in Halifax areas.

She added, "We don’t have public transportation, and the cost of rent and housing is skyrocketing across the province – not just in urban centers, these people deserve the same salaries as workers in Halifax."

The workers prepared to strike include educational assistants, student support workers, library support workers, administrative assistants, and early childhood educators running the province’s pre-primary program.

Paul Ash, the regional executive director of education for the South Shore area, said in a letter to the teachers' union: "We will not be able to provide a pre-primary program as children in the pre-primary program will not attend school."

"We are currently working on plans to provide learning materials at home for all pre-primary students."

Dave Jones, the regional executive director of education in Annapolis Valley, sent a similar notice to the teachers' union. Besides canceling classes for pre-primary students,

Jones said students receiving support and services from striking staff will face disruptions. Jones said: "We will continue to keep you updated on developments in this process; we understand the strike has a significant impact on students, families, and staff, and we appreciate your patience."

Mullen said the workers planning to strike in the coming days also acknowledge that the strike will be difficult for families.

She said, "Members do not take teachers’ rights lightly. They are very upset about this, no doubt, this is not a decision any of us take lightly." A spokesperson for the provincial education department was not available for comment.

Editing: Yusra Bamtarf