News release: Collective agreement awarded for Nova Scotia Highway Workers

Today, the interest arbitration board chaired by arbitrator William Kaplan issued an award that establishes a collective agreement for approximately 1,000 members of CUPE Local 1867, highway workers employed by the Province of Nova Scotia. The process leading to this arbitration award began in November 2014 when CUPE and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) began negotiations to renew the province-wide collective agreement. “This round of bargaining was unique in that government legislation, Bill 148 – Public Services Sustainability Act, affected the union’s ability to negotiate freely in critical areas including the term of agreement and wage increases,” says Peter Baxter, CUPE national representative. The economic increases for the first four years were dictated by Bill 148, which include zero per cent in the first and second year. The first increase where retroactivity will apply is November 1, 2016. Effective November 1, 2014 0% Effective November 1, 2015 0% … Read more…

Bargaining Update: CUPE 1867 NS – Highway Workers Union

Following a mediation/arbitration held August 13, 2018, the interest arbitration board, chaired by arbitrator William Kaplan, issued an award today, Tuesday, August 14, which finally establishes a collective agreement for approximately 1,000 CUPE Local 1867 members, highway workers employed by the Province of Nova Scotia. The process leading to this arbitration award began in November 2014 when CUPE and the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (TIR) began negotiations to renew the province-wide collective agreement in accordance with Nova Scotia’s Highway Workers Collective Bargaining Act. CUPE 1867’s bargaining committee and the employer held approximately 26 negotiating sessions between November 2014 and November 2015, at which time CUPE made an application for conciliation. Between January 2016 and October 2017, the union and the employer met with the assistance of a conciliation officer on eleven separate occasions and failed to conclude a collective agreement. On November 29, 2017, the union with the … Read more…

Media advisory: Rally to call for end to chicken-and-egg funding situation for restorative justice program

Please join us on Wednesday, August 15, as caseworkers call on Minister Mark Furey and the Nova Scotia Department of Justice to end the current chicken-and-egg situation happening to the funding of the restorative justice program. The restorative justice caseworkers, members of CUPE 4764, met with their employer, the Community Justice Society, on August 14 in an attempt to negotiate a collective agreement. However, the employer did not offer any new proposals. The Society receives 100 per cent of its funding from the Nova Scotia Department of Justice, impacting their ability to increase the wages it offers to the caseworkers. Last week, the government stated they would consider how the funding for the restorative justice program, but only after the caseworkers achieve a new contract — an impossible situation according to union representatives. “Our employer has no control over the amount of funding it receives from the Department of Justice,” … Read more…