The Nova Scotia government says the union representing long-term care workers rejected a return to the bargaining table this weekend, as a strike by employees continues into its second month.
A letter issued late Saturday says representatives asked leadership of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to return to the table this weekend.
“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,” said Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams.
Adams also outlined in the letter the proposal made to CUPE earlier this month when they met to resume negotiations on May 7, saying the government was “uncertain” if CUPE shared amendments made to its previous offer.
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Under the offer, long-term care workers would see wage increases of 12 to 24 per cent over the first four years of the agreement with retroactive pay to 2023. The proposal also includes increased evening and weekend premiums and access to a defined benefit pension plan.
What is new in the proposal, according to Adams, is an additional $2 per hour beginning in 2027 for employees who earn less than $23 per hour, and an added 1.5 per cent increase for all workers in 2027.
The province’s letter comes 10 days after thousands of workers marked one month of strike action.
Kim Cail, CUPE’s long-term care co-ordinator, told Global News at the time they had walked away from the table following the meeting on May 7 as the province had offered nothing new.
“Unfortunately they came to the table Thursday night (May 7) with the same old offer that they had been providing us since last August,” Cail said.
Global News has reached out to CUPE for comment on the province’s letter.
Both sides have said services at long-term care homes are continuing but at a reduced level, meaning the range of support residents receive is limited.
Criticism was also levied by Adams’ letter, saying CUPE has not put the current offer to a vote and that decision is a “major obstacle.”
“CUPE leadership’s decision not to put the current offer to a membership vote has become a major obstacle to resolution,” Adams wrote.
She went on to urge CUPE to put the current offer to a vote by members.
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