NSGEU puts off civil service vote until next year

The province's largest public sector union said it will postpone a vote on a new contract for 7,600 civil servants until at least mid-January.

The tentative agreement includes a wage freeze and a three per cent wage increase over four years.

As an incentive for the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, the deal maintains a job security provision requiring the government to to find a job in government for any worker who is laid off.

Joan Jessome, the president of the NSGEU, told reporters on Friday the union is still recommending acceptance of the offer.

The vote was supposed to be held this weekend, but the union put it off after teachers rejected the same wage package.

"This is not uncommon for the union to do this process, so we're asking the government to hold off on whatever its plans are and let the members get the information they need, make the decision they need," Jessome said.

"If the government decides not to follow that route, we will deal with the outcome."

Jessome said the union needs the extra time to explain the deal to its members. She said two weeks are unavailable in December because of the holidays.

"Our members don't like to be dictated to on when they vote and dictated a contract," said Jessome.

The NSGEU said it will hold meetings across the province. Doing so will take until the second or third week in January.

Premier Stephen McNeil's government had threatened to rescind its offer unless a vote was held as scheduled. It backed away from that threat before the union announced it was postponing the vote until January.

"What this government has created is a very high level of mistrust," said Jessome, adding the government has "threatened" the union with legislation.

"That letter triggered a whole different mindset among the members, threatening to take something away through legislation."

Deputy premier Diana Whalen is expected to respond later Friday.