Health Administrative Professionals Bargaining Unit Bargaining Update: Next Steps

Your bargaining team reconvened during the evening on Tuesday, April 18th423 to map out next steps in the process to achieve a satisfactory collective agreement on your behalf.

With the understanding that close to half of the bargaining unit members did not participate in the ratification vote, it has become very clear that more work needs to be done to engage the membership in the bargaining process. This is significant because ratification votes and strike votes are calculated in different ways: ratification votes are based on the number of ballots cast, whereas strike votes are calculated based on the total number of members in the bargaining unit.

The bargaining team has come forward with a three-pronged plan to move us forward. The plan is as follows:

1. Phone Banking: We will endeavor to reach out to all members via telephone to inform them of the issues. We may also use email to connect with members, so if you have not already provided your personal email address to us, please do so as soon as possible (email inquiry@nsgeu.ca or call 1-877-556-7438)
2. Materials for Review: We will be producing materials to be circulated at work sites to explain the bargaining process to date and where we are headed. The more information you have the better prepared you will be when an actual strike vote is called!
3. Meetings: We will be hosting additional town hall calls and in-person meetings. Dates will again be posted in your work sites and online, and will be shared via email.

There is much work to be done to engage the entire bargaining unit, so this plan will not be achieved overnight. It is imperative that everyone be fully informed and engaged in the lead up to our strike vote to ensure we have the necessary support to back your demands at the table.

Please ensure your up-to-date contact information is on file with us, and carefully monitor your email for updates as we progress through this plan.

Should you have any questions or concerns about next steps, please contact a member of your bargaining committee or the NSGEU by calling 902-424-4063 (toll-free 1-877-556-7438) or emailing inquiry@nsgeu.ca.

Bargaining Committee:

Local 104 Kim Sheppard – the_piergirl@hotmail.com

Local 190 Lynette Hayward-Byrd – lynettebyrd@gmail.com

Local 423 Pamela Grace – pgrace38@gmail.com

Local 1246 Mark Smith – squidboy1@hotmail.com

Local 1246 Heather Tucker – HeatherM.Tucker@nshealth.ca

Local 1246 Bill Zebedee – zebedeensgeu@gmail.com

Local 1246 Dawn Daborn – dmsmith888@live.com

NSGEU Deputy Chief Negotiator – Tammy Young tyoung@nsgeu.ca