New release: Collective agreement awarded for health care bargaining unit

Today, mediator-arbitrator William Kaplan issued an award which establishes a collective agreement for more than 6,000 employees in the Health Care Bargaining Unit at the Nova Scotia Health Authority and IWK. The award came after five days of mediation-arbitration which took place last week and concludes a process that began in October 2016. The Council of Health Care Unions is made up of NSGEU, CUPE, Unifor, and NSNU. The Council was legislated to negotiate 16 collective agreements down to one each for the IWK and NSHA. New collective agreement – Health Care Bargaining Unit, August 2018 All monetary improvements in this new collective agreement will become effective today except for those where the agreement specifies a different date. For example, some wage increases are retroactive to 2015 and some will not take place until some point in the future. All other provisions including all language changes will not take effect until … Read more…

Member update on health care bargaining

Member Update: Health Care Bargaining – August 8, 2018

Following four days of mediation, mediator/arbitrator William Kaplan issued an award today, Wednesday, August 8, 2018, which finally establishes a collective agreement for more than 6,000 employees in the Health Care Bargaining Unit at the NSHA and the IWK. The process leading to this arbitration award began in October 2016 when the Council of Health Care Unions began negotiations on a province-wide collective agreement. The council – made up of bargaining committee members from NSGEU, CUPE and Unifor – was required by legislation to negotiate 16 collective agreements down to one each for the IWK and NSHA. The council held more than 50 negotiating sessions with employer representatives over almost two years. With your support, the parties had agreed in May 2018 that any outstanding issues would be sent to Mr. Kaplan to decide. Today, Mr. Kaplan issued his award completing the process and establishing new collective agreements for the … Read more…

CUPE 4764 picket line

News conference to discuss restorative justice program at Nova Scotia Legislature on August 9

A news conference will be held Thursday, August 9 at the Nova Scotia Legislature to hear from clients of the restorative justice process. As support for Community Justice Society caseworkers’ fight for fair wages continues to grow, the Liberal government is failing, as sole funder of the restorative justice program, to recognize and support the important work they do. “The government needs to step up and pay us fair wages,” says Shila Leblanc, CJS caseworker and CUPE 4764 member. TIME: Thursday, August 9 at 9 a.m. LOCATION: Nova Scotia Legislature, 1726 Hollis Street, Halifax SPEAKERS: Members of CUPE 4764 will be joined by former restorative justice program clients, as well as members of the NSNDP. Shila Leblanc, CUPE 4764 member Claudia Chender, NDP MLA and justice spokesperson Jillian Smyth, former restorative justice program participant Mark Chiasson, family member of former restorative justice program participant The McNeil government is refusing to recognize its … Read more…