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What is new under this agreement is that any issues that can not be resolved at the negotiating table will be sent to an independent third-party mediator-arbitrator for a final and binding award.
Halifax (25 May 2018) — On May 18, the Nova Scotia Councils of Health Care Unions voted 92 per cent to ratify an agreement with the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) and IWK Health Centre (IWK).
6 year agreement provides improvements
The agreement provides wage increases over a 6 year term, protects key benefits, and provides a mediation arbitration process that will conclude all collective agreements for the 4 bargaining units in health care, nursing, support services, and administrative professionals by the end of 2018.
The Councils of Unions is comprised of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees' Union (NSGEU/NUPGE), the Nova Scotia Nurses' Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees and Unifor. Each union conducted their own ratification vote with the results sent to a third party election officer where they were counted together. This agreement will produce new collective agreements for all 4 bargaining units with the NSHA and IWK.
New mediation-arbitration process introduced
Each bargaining unit will continue to negotiate with the employers. What is new under this agreement is that any issues that cannot be resolved at the negotiating table will be sent to an independent third-party mediator-arbitrator for a final and binding award.
This has been the first round of negotiations using the Councils of Unions model. It required negotiating over 50 collective agreements down to 8 — 4 with the NSHA and 4 with the IWK. This was a complex process but set the foundation and precedent for future negotiations.
The Councils of Unions thanks their respective members for their patience and solidarity during this process and looks forward to concluding collective agreements for the dedicated and hardworking people in health care, nursing, support services and administrative professionals.