The Nova Scotia Government Employees Union has voted overwhelmingly against the latest contract offer from the Nova Scotia government.
Roughly 4,600 of the 7,300 eligible voters rejected the offer by a 94 percent vote.
Very Proud of our Membership. On to the next steps and getting back to the table. #fairness #democracy #nspoli
— Jason MacLean (@JMACL3AN) December 14, 2016
President Jason MacLean says he wants to get back to the table and negotiate a deal.
“Our members aren’t settling and they at least want to maintain what’s in their collective agreement and they don’t want to move backwards.What they currently have in their collective agreement, they have no interest in giving up.”
The four-year proposed deal would see the end of the public service award for civil servants and a three percent wage increase over four years.
MacLean says the next steps would involve conciliation and if that doesn’t work, they would apply for arbitration.
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s minister of finance says he’s disappointed by the voting results by the NSGEU.
Randy Delorey says he believes it was a fair offer and one that was affordable for Nova Scotians.
He says he’s open to negotiations with the union but they have to respect the province’s fiscal position.
“Any plan that comes forward that gets negotiated has to respect our ability to pay and not put at risk our fiscal plan.”
Delorey says the province has reached out to the union to confirm next steps.
He says it’s too early to look at implementing Bill 148, which would impose the contract on the union.
