Contract talks with N.S. public service break down over job protection

Officials with the union representing most civil servants in Nova Scotia say they're prepared to take their chances with an arbitration panel as long as the provincial government is targeting job protection.

The contract for about 8,400 workers represented by the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union expired on March 31, 2024, and the two sides had been working with a mediator in recent months to try to reach a new collective agreement.

NSGEU first vice-president Hugh Gillis said in an interview Friday that it seemed like they were making progress until earlier this week when "those talks kind of went sideways" and government representatives indicated they wanted the job protection clause on the table.

Gillis described job security as "a red line" for the union.

"Obviously, government would like to get rid of that so it would be easier to lay off employees and we're having nothing to do with that," he said.

"We're not giving up our job security."

Union wants wage increases to follow pattern

The union's job protection provisions state that when someone's position becomes redundant, is relocated or would otherwise receive a layoff notice, they cannot be laid off. Instead, a worker could exercise bumping rights, accept a voluntary layoff but be entitled to recall, or voluntarily resign with severance.

The other issue relates to pay.

Although he would not say what the government is offering, Gillis said the union believes a new deal should begin with a 5.5 per cent wage increase in the first year, in keeping with the terms of other recent collective agreements.

"We're a wage pattern province and we believe that we can make the case that it's 5.5 [per cent]."

If talks do not resume, the two sides are destined to meet at an arbitration panel hearing Oct. 20-21. Representatives for the government and union would argue their respective positions, with the panel's decision being binding.

A spokesperson for the province declined to comment on matters involved in bargaining.

Severance terms announced for non-unionized workers

Meanwhile, the province announced Friday the new severance terms that will apply to non-unionized civil servants if they are laid off without cause.

The Progressive Conservative government passed amendments to the Civil Service Act during the winter session at Province House giving itself the power to fire non-unionized workers without cause. About a quarter of the public service is not represented by a union.

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The updated regulations will provide four weeks of pay per year of service, capped at 72 weeks. The previous cap was 52 weeks. Employees would receive eight weeks' notice ahead of a layoff.

In March, Public Service Commission Minister Twila Grosse said the amendments were required to give the government greater flexibility to deal with changing needs in the public service. At the time, Grosse said there were no plans for a broader reorganization or layoffs within the public service.

A spokesperson for the province said Friday that "staffing decisions remain with individual departments, who must manage within their operational needs and budgets."