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The Nova Scotia Council of Nursing Unions completed two days of discussion on Friday, June 15 to prepare bargaining proposals.
The Council discussed bargaining priorities and collective agreements from Unifor, NSGEU, CUPE, and NSNU in acute care. The team is reviewing contract language for all nurses, in all categories, to reach consensus on what to preserve, what to expand upon and what compromises may be required.
These inaugural meetings were very productive, but additional dates are required in order to be fully prepared before exchanging proposals with the Nova Scotia Health Authority and IWK Children’s Hospital on September 5th. The Nursing Council will meet again on July 3 - 4 and August 22 - 23.
The Council and the Employers have agreed to send nursing to the negotiating table last as there are unique nursing-related issues to be dealt with in bargaining and potentially in mediation – arbitration.
Any issues that are not resolved at the negotiating table will go to the independent, third-party mediator-arbitrator, William Kaplan for a final and binding award. Mr. Kaplan has set aside November 19-23 for Nursing Bargaining Unit mediation - arbitration.
The mediation – arbitration agreement provides wage increases over a six-year term (2014-2020), including retroactive pay, protects key benefits and provides a mediation arbitration process that will conclude all collective agreements for the four bargaining units in Nursing, Health Care, Support Services, and Administrative Professionals by the end of 2018.
The Council of Nursing Unions is working hard to ensure that members’ best interests are represented. The team would like to thank all members for their solidarity.
For more information please contact Unifor’s representatives on the Nursing Council:
Shauna Wilcox, @email
Susan Gill, @email