The decision stems from a 2014 grievance involving almost 400 LPNs in the former Capital District Health Authority who are represented by NSGEU.

An arbitrator determined the scope of practise of those LPNs had widened and compensation should increase to reflect that.

In June 2020, a second arbitrator provided those LPNs with a 12-per-cent increase retroactive to March 2014, the date of the original grievance.

Government will now extend the 12-per-cent increase to almost 2,600 more LPNs across the public sector effective June 11, 2020. Only those LPNs included in the original grievance process will receive the increase on a retroactive basis. 

“This action ensures our commitment to wage parity of LPNs across the province and addresses issues raised by the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union and other healthcare labour groups,” said Labour Relations Minister Mark Furey. “All LPNs do the same important work, and deserve the same rate of pay, wherever they are employed. This is the fair and appropriate step to take, and we wanted to move forward without delay.”

The new annual compensation for a full-time LPN at the top of the regular salary scale will be $58,634, up from the current $52,707, an increase of about $6,000 annually. 

The annual cost to government to extend the increase to the additional LPNs is $19 million.