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“Home support workers play a critical role within our healthcare system. They certainly deserve the same hourly wage their counterparts receive.” — Joan Jessome, NSGEU President.
Halifax (10 Feb. 2014) — Members of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE), who work as home support staff at Northwood in HRM, are standing together for parity with those who do the same work in hospital settings. Talks with Northwood, which had entered the conciliation process, broke down on February 6.
NSGEU/NUPGE members want wage parity with hospital workers doing the same job
“Home support workers play a critical role within our healthcare system. They have the same training and they do the same type of work, but they are working under very different conditions outside of the typical healthcare setting,” says Joan Jessome, NSGEU President. “They certainly deserve the same hourly wage their counterparts receive.”
On February 9, workers voted on the employer's final offer. They voted 97 per cent to reject it.
Countdown to strike begins for home support workers
Following the vote, the conciliator will file his report on February 12 which will trigger a 14 day countdown to a strike. The countdown would begin on February 13. Local 34’s contract expired on March 31, 2012.
These NSGEU/NUPGE members are the first home support workers to enter the conciliation process in this round of negotiations. The issue of parity is a critical issue for all NSGEU/NUPGE home support members.
Six other home support bargaining units voted in favour of strike action to back wage parity
In January and February, NSGEU/NUPGE members employed by Home Support Digby/Clare, Home Support, VON Tri-County, VON Pictou County, Yarmouth/Argyle, and VON Colchester & East Hants, voted overwhelmingly in favour of striking to back their bargaining demands.
There are approximately 420 NSGEU/NUPGE members who provide home support services for Northwood throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality.
NUPGE
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