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NSGEU rally for locked out municipal workers

'The employer has not treated these negotiations seriously from the very beginning.' - Joan Jessome.

Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE)Stellarton (9 June 2010) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) is holding a rally today (June 9) at 4 p.m. on behalf of locked out municipal workers at the museum of industry in Stellarton.

NSGEU members of Local 60A have been locked out by the Pictou County Shared Service Authority (PCSSA) since May 31. There have been no new negotiations since then.

The union wants to draw public attention to the dispute and to impress upon those in authority the need to resolve it as fairly and quickly as possible.

The rally coincides with the annual general meeting and awards banquet of the Pictou Regional Development Commission.

NSGEU president Joan Jessome, who will be speaking at the rally, says the locked out workers are seeking a first contract with terms similar to those the union has already negotiated with the Municipality of Pictou. The municipality is one of the signatories in the PCSSA.

“We have been attempting to bargain in good faith from the beginning of our negotiations last fall," Jessome says. "However, the employer has not treated these negotiations seriously from the very beginning. Their final 'take it or leave it' offer on the evening of May 30th gave further evidence that they were not interested in reaching an agreement," she notes.

The bargaining unit includes administrators, building inspectors and development officers, lab technicians and waste treatment plant maintenance operators. The workers issue permits for the subdivision of land and building permits. They also do building inspections, operate the waste treatment plant and handle accounts payable.

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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