Release:

Halifax – Members of NSGEU Local 42, the Health Care Bargaining Unit at the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) have voted 56% in favour of ratifying their tentative agreement.

“The Bargaining Committee for Local 42 worked hard to achieve the tentative agreement that was ratified today,” says Joan Jessome, President of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU). “The membership supported the Bargaining Committee’s recommendation and voted to accept.”

The tentative agreement was reached on March 28.

1,887 members of Local 42 voted by mail-in ballot and 56% of the votes were in favour of the new collective agreement.

“However, the narrow margin by which this tentative agreement was ratified sends a clear message that the members are not happy with the economic increase that formed part of this agreement,” says Jessome. “This issue will clearly be a focus of the next round of bargaining – which is just around the corner.”

The new collective agreement runs from November 1, 2009 to October 31, 2011.

The agreement includes a 1% economic increase in each of the two years of the agreement. It also includes a number of significant improvements which include stand-by and callback provisions, vacations and shift and weekend premiums.

There are 3,880 members of Local 42.

Members of Local 42 provide quality health care to Nova Scotians in the Capital Health District everyday. NSGEU Local 42 includes more than 170 classifications including Medical Laboratory Technologists, Licensed Practical Nurses, Social Workers, Respiratory Therapists, Clinical Dietitians, Paramedics, Pharmacists, Recreation Therapists, Ward Aids, Patient Attendants, Operating Room Technicians, Sterile Processing Technicians and Diagnostic Imaging classifications which include MRI Technologists, Nuclear Medicine Technologists and more.