On 1 December 2015, NSTU`s membership voted in favour of rejecting the provisional agreement. Negotiations resumed and a second interim agreement was reached on 7 September 2016. On 4 October 2016, NSTU`s membership voted in favour of rejecting the provisional agreement. “We had an arbitrator from the Mediator, a third party that the government didn`t want,” MacLean said. “But this person has proven that with a collective agreement, he presents something that both parties can live with. It is time for Nova Scotia to have a work process based on collaboration, creativity and improvement. Innovation, skills and engagement of unions, workers and employers in the public sector are needed. We are committed to working together in a meaningful work process that reflects the value we bring to public service professionals and respects what taxpayers and employers can afford. This new approach will lead to quality services that we can afford and that we will remain available not only today, but also in the future. This new approach will allow public servants to participate in the benefits of their contributions, as savings are recognized and the fiscal situation improves. Committees representing administrative professionals, support and care are preparing to begin negotiations as soon as an agreement has been reached on health care. Mediation/conciliation of issues that will not be resolved in the course of the negotiation. Increase in wage rates over a 6-year period (the contract expires October 31, 2020) A timetable for the completion of the four collective agreements by the end of 2018 The four bargaining units will continue to negotiate with employers.

What is new in this agreement is that all issues that cannot be resolved at the negotiating table will be sent to an external arbitrator independent of the Ombudsman. All other language offers will not come into effect until October 1, 2018. This will allow membership and the employer to verify and adapt changes. Until that date, Unifor 4600`s collective agreement is in effect. “The result of today`s union vote is disappointing for students, parents and the government,” said Karen Casey, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “This was the third interim agreement with the trade union leadership, which was reached after an intense and productive phase of negotiations. Although the employers` negotiators for essential services departed from the discussions last summer, a consensus emerged to return to the table on March 6. The negotiation of an ESA is now a precondition for the union, since Bill 37, a new liberal law, imposes it before a strike or union action can take place.

The conciliation/arbitration agreement, available on Unifor`s website, was ratified with 92 per cent of the four bargaining units in the four unions. It offers salary increases, retroactive pay until 2014, protection of your current sickness and pension benefits and the possibility of an advance payment of the death benefit. Unifor and the other unions believe that a strong strike vote is the only way to reach a fair collective agreement and to roll back the concessions demanded by the employer. Conciliation will begin on November 9 with the Nova Scotia Health Council, which is seeking a fair collective agreement for the hundreds of workers employed by the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK. The Board is made up of members of the negotiating committee of Unifor, NSGEU, CUPE and NSNU. Shift and weekend work premiums will have the same adjustment amounts as in the health rate unit. On 2 December 2015, NSGEU leaders said they would delay their plan to vote on their provisional agreement. After making little progress on a conciliator, the Nova Scotia Health Care Council is moving forward with a national strike for health care workers. Negotiations have made steady progress, but employers have also made significant concessions.