Interest arbitration award affects employees at five provincial facilities.
Halifax (6 Jan. 2009) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) says an interest arbitration board decision fails to bring wages for men and women employees at five provincial correctional facilities into line with rates paid at other adult correctional institutions in Canada.
While establishing annual salary increases of 2.9% retroactive to Nov. 1, 2006, the decision also fails to match rates paid elsewhere in Atlantic Canada, the union says.
The board did recognize unfair treatment of part-time employees and awarded some benefits, including medical, dental and group life insurance coverage, pregnancy leave, bereavement leave and compensation for injury on duty on a pro-rated basis, NSGEU notes. However, it did not extend benefits to include sick leave and pensions.
"For years, the province has been using part-time workers to cover an increasing workload and reaping the benefits of employees without benefits,” says NSGEU president Joan Jessome. “Eighty-five per cent of the part-time employees are working full-time hours.”
The decision also awarded shift premiums, including an additional $1 per hour for night work plus an additional 75 cents per hour on the weekend − not pyramided.
The union is disappointed that these premium rates fall below what other public sector workers in health care and civil service units achieved in the last round of bargaining. The interest arbitration hearing took place Nov. 6-7.
NSGEU Local 480 has nearly 400 members, including approximately 135 part-timers. They have been without a contract since November 2006. NSGEU represents more than 26,000 women and men who provide quality public services to Nova Scotians on a daily basis. NUPGE
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