Civil Service Bargaining Update

Dear member,

As indicated earlier, at the March 25 Bargaining Unit Negotiating Council (BUNC) meeting, the following motion was unanimously approved:

The Civil Service Bargaining Unit Negotiating Council (BUNC) endorses the recommendation of the Union Negotiating Committee (UNC) to reject the latest offer of the employer and to initiate by April 15, 2013 the process to conduct a rejection vote by the membership as soon as possible. However, it is agreed that the voting process will be held in abeyance to allow for further negotiation, should the employer contact the union to return to the bargaining table in a timely fashion.

Discussions with the employer on a few issues have continued on a number of occasions since our last update. However, as of today, even though there has been dialogue, there has been no clear indication that the employer wishes to return to the bargaining table in an attempt to negotiate and finalize a collective agreement without the need for interest arbitration.

The present state of issues was discussed with the Union Negotiating Committee (UNC) on April 19.

In keeping with the motion approved by BUNC, the union is now in the process of making arrangements to provide an information package to members and to conduct a vote. Both your negotiation and bargaining committees are recommending rejection unless improvements to the employer’s present offer, including the retention of the critically important job security provisions in the Memorandum of Agreement, are made.

We will provide a further update as soon as possible with respect to the information package, information sessions, and voting.

Also in keeping with the motion approved by BUNC, should the employer contact the union to return to the bargaining table, the voting process will be adjourned while negotiations take place.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact a member of your Bargaining Committee, or the NSGEU at 424-4063 (toll free 1-877-556-7438), or email us at inquiry@nsgeu.ca

Union Negotiating Committee (UNC):

Clerical Bargaining Unit

Beth Hingley the.hingleys@ns.sympatico.ca

Donna Jean MacLean macleadj@gov.ns.ca

Professional Bargaining Unit

Stephen Newson newsonst@gov.ns.ca

David Brewster brewstdr@gov.ns.ca

Technical Services Bargaining Unit

Meg Campbell marguerit.campbell@gmail.com

Dustin Rioux riouxdr@gov.ns.ca

Keiren Tompkins, Chief Negotiator

424-4063 or 1-877-556-7438

ktompkins@nsgeu.ca