long-term care workers

The Nova Scotia government released details of its latest offer to long-term workers in response to CUPE turning down an invite to the negotiating table.

Seniors and Long-term Care Minister Barbara Adams issued an open letter Saturday evening.

The letter was addressed to “Long-Term Care Employees, Residents, Families, and Nova Scotians,” and said government representatives asked CUPE leadership on Friday to come back to the table to negotiate a settlement.

“We were disappointed that despite offering CUPE leadership to meet Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, they would not find the time to come back to the table until next week,” Adams wrote.

Adams said the government’s goal remains finding a resolution.

“Our government believes in the collective bargaining process,” the letter stated. “Over the past several years, we have successfully supported or negotiated almost 400 agreements across the public sector with minimal disruption to workers, families and services.

“We have done that by remaining respectful, staying open-minded and continuing to work toward solutions even when negotiations become difficult.”

Adams appealed directly to union members, noting the work they do is important to residents, families and communities.

In the letter, Adams said the government’s offer was substantially improved on May 7.

“We are uncertain whether CUPE shared the amendments with their members,” the letter stated. “We want to correct that.”

According to the letter, the province’s current offer includes:

• Wage increases of 12 to 24 per cent over the first four years of the agreement
• Retroactive pay to 2023
• Increased evening and weekend premiums
• Access to a defined benefit pension plan
• An additional $2 per hour beginning in 2027 for employees earning under $23 an hour, new in this proposal
• An additional 1.5 per cent increase for all workers in 2027, new in this proposal

Adams said the improvements were a direct response to the concerns of frontline workers, and similar agreements have been signed by other unions in home care and hospitals.

“It is concerning that CUPE accepted similar agreements in other sectors, yet long-term care workers remain on strike without having the opportunity to vote on the current offer,” Adams wrote. “As a result, these workers are being prevented from accessing higher wages, improved benefits and retroactive pay that others are already receiving.”

The letter closed with the following:

“The government remains prepared to continue the bargaining process in good faith. After substantially improving the offer earlier this month, the government firmly believes the next appropriate step is for the current offer to be put to a vote.”