The seventh bargaining session was scheduled for 22 – 24 August 2023 and your team came prepared, as always, for detailed discussions with the employer.
We were however faced with slow to no progress and delays which resulted in no meeting the first day and a very short 5-minute meeting with the employer the second day. The last day started mid-morning and ended late into the evening.
Regrettably, there was no real movement by the employer on any of the key remaining issues.
Most of our time spent with the employer involved monetary discussions in an effort to secure a collective agreement for our members. Unfortunately, their monetary proposals are not in line with current economic trends, and they didn’t address substantive issues identified as priorities for these negotiations.
At the conclusion of the third day, the employer suggested further in-person bargaining sessions, however, your team was adamant that any subsequent bargaining sessions needed to be more productive and facilitated by a mediator. We are currently in the process of securing a mediator to assist in the progress and renewal of your collective agreement with potential dates being scheduled during the week of November 20.
On behalf of your bargaining team, we appreciate your support and patience – this process is proving challenging, but we remain committed to representing your interests in achieving a strong and fair collective agreement.
If you have any questions, please reach out to NEB_barg_team@pipsc.ca.
In solidarity
Anne-Marie Erickson
NEB Group Bargaining Chair, PIPSC