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Premier Stephen McNeil‘s approval rating has dropped by seven percentage points following last week’s controversial decision to close Nova Scotia schools, according to a new survey by the Angus Reid Institute released Tuesday.

READ MORE: Nova Scotia schools to reopen Tuesday, work-to-rule still in place

The survey results show McNeil’s rating dropped from 38 per cent to 31 per cent, the largest drop of any premier in the past three months. His rating is 15 percentage points lower than it was at this time last year.

Premier Stephen McNeil’s approval rating has dropped seven per cent, according to a new Angus Reid poll. Angus Reid Institute

McNeil is tied with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley as the fourth highest-rated premier in the country. Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall has the highest rating at 58 per cent, and Ontario’s Kathleen Wynn has the lowest at just 16 per cent.

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Labour dispute likely contributing to falling support

The ongoing labour dispute with the Nova Scotia Teachers Union (NSTU) has shone a bright spotlight on the premier’s office and its negotiating style. Voters have also been witness to the very public and hostile back-and-forth between the two warring sides.

Teachers began work-to-rule job action last week, after rejecting two tentative agreements recommended by their union.

READ MORE: Nova Scotia’s teachers dispute throws uncertainty into McNeil’s popularity: Pollster

Education Minister Karen Casey announced Dec. 3 that all schools in the province would be closed starting Dec. 5, citing safety concerns around that planned job action.

On Dec. 5, the government changed course, saying after discussions with NSTU staff about the work-to-rule directives, they and superintendents were confident students wouldn’t be at risk heading back to classes. Throughout that day, however, the NSTU maintained they were not “in talks” with the government.

READ MORE: Nova Scotia premier defends actions against teachers, negotiating style

Both the government and teachers union maintain their goal is to return to the bargaining table, however neither side has extended an invitation to the other to get back to talks.

More labour unrest on the way?

The government could see more labour unrest, as 7,600 public servants represented by the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) are voting on a long-delayed contract their union hopes they’ll reject.

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READ MORE: 7,600 NSGEU members start voting on long-delayed contract offer

NSGEU President Jason MacLean told Global News Monday he thinks the union members will reject the contract.

“I’m hoping my members vote no and I believe they are going to vote no,” he said.

Like the teachers contract, the contract would freeze wages for two years, then offer a three per cent increase over the last two years. It would also freeze the long-service award retroactive to 2015.

The NSGEU originally recommended in November that members accept the contract offer, however the tone changed when teachers rejected the similar agreement offered to them and the government passed controversial wage legislation.

The Angus Reid survey polled 5,300 Canadian adults from Dec. 5-12. The results are considered accurate to within +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 had all Canadians been polled.

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The approval ratings of Canada’s premiers according to a recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute. Angus Reid Institute