Health-care unions reach tentative agreement with N.S. Health, IWK
Unions to prepare documents, expect voting to begin next week
A strike in Nova Scotia's health-care sector appears to have been avoided.
Early Friday morning, the unions representing approximately 9,000 health-care professionals across the province reached a tentative agreement with the IWK Health Centre and Nova Scotia Health at 4:30 a.m.
The Council of Health Care Unions—comprising the NSGEU, CUPE, and Unifor—announced in a news release that the agreement was achieved after a "marathon day of bargaining."
"This is a good deal and one the committee is prepared to recommend to members," stated NSGEU president Sandra Mullen in the release.
The previous contract expired in October 2023.
Health Minister Michelle Thompson commented in a news release, "We came to the table in good faith, offered a fair pay increase, and were able to agree on terms with the council. We believe this is a fair deal for workers and taxpayers."
In July, the unions had filed for conciliation to establish an essential services agreement with the province, marking the first step toward a potential strike.
The affected workers cover a wide range of health-care occupations, excluding doctors and nurses, and have been without a contract for nearly a year.
The unions plan to hold a vote on the contract proposal sometime next week.
According to the province, details of the tentative agreement will remain confidential until it is ratified by union members.
