N.S. doubles down for CUPE to have long-term workers vote on deal as strike continues

The provincial government is doubling down on their call for the union representing thousands of striking long-term care workers, to have them vote on the deal presented.

Roughly 3,300 CUPE members from 34 facilities across Nova Scotia have been on strike since April 13, fighting for higher wages.

After a cabinet meeting Thursday, Premier Tim Houston told reporters he doesn’t know why CUPE doesn’t allow their members to vote on the deal when 27,000 others have accepted it.

“I suspect they have some concerns about what would happen at that vote,” said Houston.

He said he hears from members that they want to vote on it.

“It’s my position and it stands,” said Houston.

It was on May 8 when CUPE and the province went back to the table. Seniors Minister Barb Adams said they went into bargaining with good faith, but no deal was reached.

“Unfortunately, for some reason CUPE is insisting that they don’t want to share all of the details with their members,” said Adams. “They are adamant that they’re not going to let them vote.”

Adams said the union has not asked to go back to the bargaining table since.

“We’re speaking with them on a daily basis, encouraging them to take the amended offer to their members and share full details with them,” explained Adams. “To allow them to have their say.”

Meantime, CUPE has maintained that the deal offered is not good enough and they went into talks two weeks ago hopeful, but that hope quickly died.

“The new offer which expires in 2028 was better than the last but would still leave support at just over $23 by the end. That’s not a living wage now and it certainly won’t be in 2028,” said Long Term Care Coordinator Kim Cail in a statement.