LPN Reclassification Update: Retro Pay to be Adjusted

In June, Arbitrator Lorraine Lafferty issued a consent award that concluded a long-standing classification review of the LPNs who work in positions at the former CDHA represented by the NSGEU. The award included a 12 per cent pay increase retroactive for any hours worked back to March 17, 2014 in these CDHA positions. The NSGEU maintained that this award should have applied to all LPNs in Nova Scotia and in August, government announced they would be extending the same wage increase to all LPNs in the province.

When members received their retroactive pay, some of these members approached the union regarding a miscalculation of how the employer applied the award. The NSGEU’s position was that all parties agreed the current rate at the top step would be $30.27, a 12% increase over the present rate. However, the employer applied a different interpretation to the 12% increase that resulted in a top rate of $30.07.

The NSGEU tried to work with the employer to fix this issue, but could not reach an agreement. This issue was sent back to Arbitrator Lorraine Lafferty for a decision in early October.

Arbitrator Lafferty agreed with the NSGEU and reissued her consent award with amendments for the LPNs who were involved in the original reclassification grievance (please see the attached pay table for the correct rates). Further retro pay will be calculated by your employer and paid out at a future date.

For all other LPNs, we have approached government seeking answers of when you will be paid the new wage. They responded that now that this dispute has been resolved, the employers will now be able to apply the calculations. The NSGEU will approach your employers to have the correct rate and corrected retro pay applied as soon as possible.

Further details will be provided as they are made available to us.