Local 29 – VON Schedulers Bargaining Update: Conciliation Date Set

Bargaining has been very slow and frustrating for your entire committee, and we understand your frustration. We anticipated an additional days of bargaining on February 26th and 27th, however, the employer was not prepared to bring forward a monetary proposal.

Therefore, to avoid further delay, the committee has made the decision to file for conciliation. We have advised the employer that should they receive a monetary mandate between now and when conciliation is scheduled, we would be more than willing to return to the table.

What is conciliation? Conciliation is a requirement under the Nova Scotia Trade Union Act that takes place when regular negotiations fail to reach an agreement. Either party may apply to the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education requesting the services of a Conciliation Officer. The Conciliation Officer does not have the power to impose a settlement on either party. Instead, their role is to mediate between the parties and help them reach an agreement.

We will be holding an important virtual local meeting to discuss next steps on Tuesday, March 24th at 7pm. It is very important that all members attend this meeting. An MS Teams link will be sent out to the members closer to date, so please monitor your email.

Your bargaining committee wishes to thank you for your continued support. If you have questions or concerns about the bargaining process, please reach out to a member of your bargaining committee as follows:

Walter Kelsey, Bargaining Committee walterklocal29@gmail.com
Paula Melanson, Bargaining Committee Rickypaula2025@hotmail.com

Tracy Pyke, Labour Relations Officer tpyke@nsgeu.ca
Karen Grandy, Labour Relations Officer kgrandy@nsgeu.ca

Gina Boyd, Servicing Coordinator & Lead Negotiator gboyd@nsgeu.ca