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“This has been a long, arduous, and difficult round of bargaining" — Jerry Earle, NAPE President
St. John's (05 Dec. 2017) — The negotiating teams representing public sector workers, who are members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE/NUPGE), have reached tentative agreements with the provincial government and respective employers.
“I am very pleased to tell our members and the people of the province that our teams have reached tentative agreements,” said Jerry Earle, NAPE President. “Our teams will be recommending acceptance to the membership.”
NAPE/NUPGE’s bargaining teams met throughout September and into October and had frank and fruitful talks at the table. This was a significant change in the dynamics at the bargaining table as compared to what the Union’s teams had been experiencing in the year prior. At that stage, Jerry Earle, President, Bert Blundon, Secretary-Treasurer, Ed Hogan, Senior Negotiator, and the Bargaining Oversight Committee began extensive, marathon meetings with the Minister of Finance and senior officials from his department in an effort to resolve outstanding issues and try to find common ground. These meetings led to a framework for an agreement in mid-November. Since then, NAPE/NUPGE and government officials have been working to finalize language and details.
“Our teams met over the past weekend to review the details of the framework agreement,” said Earle. “After having an opportunity to do so, each team agreed that this was the best deal possible given the current economic situation of the province.”
Bargaining process long and arduous
“This has been a long, arduous, and difficult round of bargaining,” said Earle. “Since day one, we have been clear that we were willing to come to the table to bargain fairly, respectfully, and collaboratively. We were also clear that the benefits and rights that we’ve fought for decades to attain were not simply up for the taking. It was a tough balance, but one that we were able to achieve.”
“I believe that our members will be in agreement with their bargaining teams when they have an opportunity to see the total package of the agreement,” stated Earle.
The tentative agreements apply to the following NAPE bargaining units: Air Services, CNA Faculty, CNA Support Staff, General Service, Group Homes, Health Professionals, Hospital Support Staff, Laboratory X-ray, Marine Services, MOS, NLC, School Boards, Student Assistants, Ushers, and WorkplaceNL.
Ratification votes in the new year
NAPE bargaining teams will be taking the tentative agreements to the members for ratification votes in the new year. NAPE/NUPGE is currently in the process of setting up these meetings.
Full details of the agreements will be released at the ratification meetings where members will have an opportunity to vote on the tentative agreements via secret ballot.