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Countdown to strike action about to start for more Nova Scotia home support workers.
Halifax (27 Feb. 2014) — Members of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) at two more home support agencies rejected the employer's last offer.
The major stumbling issue at every bargaining table for home support workers in the province is wage parity with hospital workers performing the same duties.
NSGEU/NUPGE members at Antigonish and Area Homemakers Service and Northside Homemakers Service reject employer offers
The Antigonish and Area Homemakers Service tabled the very same offer it had already presented, with a deadline of midnight for members to accept otherwise it would be removed from the table. At an emergency meeting and vote following the employers offer, NSGEU/NUPGE members overwhelmingly rejected the employers offer.
The situation is similar for members employed by the Northside Homemakers Service. Members unanimously rejected the employer's last offer on February 16.
The conciliator filed his report with the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education on February 26 for the Northside members and will file a report on March 3 for Antigonish and Area members.
Once the conciliator has filed his report, a 14-day countdown is triggered, after which a legal strike can be held. The 14-day period is also called a “cooling off period” for both sides. Often the conciliator will call both sides back to the table during these 14 days in a continued effort to reach an agreement. NSGEU/NUPGE is making every effort to avoid strike action at both workplaces and to resolve the negotiations with a fair settlement. The union must give the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education a 48 hour notice of our intention to exercise our right to strike.
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