New Health-Care Agreement

The Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), IWK Health Centre and the Nova Scotia Council of Health Care Unions have a new collective agreement for health-care workers.

The three-year agreement, ratified today July 14, provides economic increases of 1.5 per cent per year with an additional one per cent in the final year for all health-care workers. The agreement also includes other investments, such as a five per cent classification adjustment for care team assistants, who support the team in providing care to patients or long-term care residents. This will help the employer recruit and retain these professionals.

“This is a fair and balanced agreement that recognizes the hard work and commitment of our health-care workers in helping Nova Scotia through this pandemic while also being affordable for all Nova Scotians,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “It will ensure stability in the delivery of health-care services for Nova Scotians and bring much-needed certainty as we emerge from this third wave of COVID and a year and a half of challenges and uncertainty.”

The term of the new agreement is from Nov. 1, 2020, to Oct. 31, 2023. The Health Care Council of Unions represents approximately 6,500 full-time equivalent positions including lab techs, pharmacists and other regulated health professionals employed by the NSHA and IWK.

Quotes:

“I want to offer my thanks to the members of the negotiation teams for both parties. Collective bargaining takes a great deal of focus and effort, and they have remained committed to the process while rolling out mass testing and vaccination programs, caring for patients, and managing through exceptional pressures and demands in the health-care system. I also want to recognize the conciliator for his role in helping to achieve this agreement.”

– Randy Delorey, Minister of Labour Relations

Quick Facts:

• economic increases to all pay grades are 1.5 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2020; 1.5 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2021; 1.5 per cent effective Nov. 1, 2022; and 1 per cent effective Oct. 31, 2023
• by the end of the third year, the cumulative cost of the economic increase is approximately $23 million annually