Province spends more public money on private legal services to take on unions

The amount of money the provincial government has paid to a private law firm to help guide contract talks with its employees continues to climb.

According to access to information files released to the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), an additional $12,000 was paid to McInnes Cooper in August, bringing the total amount paid to the firm to more than $141,000.

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"As promised, our union will continue to file access requests on this matter so the people of the province know how much this government is spending on outside help to take on their own workers," said Jerry Earle, president of NAPE, in a release.

Earle warned the number could continue to rise.

"Keep in mind, almost $150,000 has already been paid by this government to a private law firm, without any tender process, on negotiations that have not even started yet," he said. "Costs could quickly spiral further out of control when negotiations actually commence.

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McInnes Cooper was hired by government to provide legal and communications services during what is expected to be a tough round of bargaining.

The finance minister has said that 26 collective agreements expire in 2016, and on Sept. 9 extended an invitation to NAPE and the Canadian union of Public Employees to begin contract talks.

Cathy Bennett warned that the negotiations will happen against a backdrop of "fiscal challenges."