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Arbitration award makes 'significant' improvement on government's last offer
Halifax (6 April 2006) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) has a new contract for 5,950 of its members, thanks to an arbitration award providing wage increases of 2.9% annually over a three-year contract.
The deal, announced Tuesday by the three-member board, is retroactive to April 1, 2004. The deal also includes an additional 2% increase effective on the same date.
The board was chaired by Susan Ashley. Other members included Laraine Singler of the NSGEU and Eric Dunford, representing the Nova Scotia government.
“The wage increase awarded by the board is a significant improvement over the employer’s final offer of 2.25% in each year of a three year agreement,” says NSGEU president Joan Jessome.
“This decision is definitely the silver lining on a very long and often frustrating bargaining process for hard working NSGEU Civil Service members across Nova Scotia.”
Other highlights of the award include improvements to mileage rates and allowances, severance pay, bereavement leave and retroactive pay for members who left their job during the term covered by the new contract.
Negotiations between the province’s Public Service Commission and the union broke off on March 23, 2005. The interest arbitration hearing to settle all outstanding issues took place February 20-22, 2006.
The new agreement will expire on March 31, 2007. The full text of the Civil Service Interest Arbitration Award is available on the NSGEU website at www.nsgeu.ca. NUPGE
More information:
Full Text - NSGEU Interest Arbitration Award (81 pages) pdf