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'This is a significant milestone for which those acting on behalf of the union and the corporation should be congratulated.' - Joan Jessome.
Halifax (29 July 2009) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) is pleased to have reached a settlement with the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) bringing casual employees into the union.
Union president Joan Jessome says 400 casual employees, who have worked 400 hours or more, became NSGEU members on July 26. Terms and conditions for these employees will be negotiated to cover the period up to the end of the current collective agreement, which expires in March 2010.
“This is a significant milestone for which those acting on behalf of the union and the corporation should be congratulated," Jessome says.
"It was reached after discussions over the last five to six months. For many years, these casual employees have worked side by side with unionized staff with few or no benefits. This settlement is a major step forward.”
Jessome also notes that the settlement provides for each provincial liquor store to have a fixed number of casual positions for scheduled hours – mainly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
It also changes the number of regular part-time employees and establishes a fixed number in each store – based on store classification. A more formal agreement for these workers is expected to be signed soon.
“We know that there remain a number of details to be worked out between the parties but we are confident that this can be done building on this settlement," Jessome adds.
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE