«In this round of negotiations, we have said, and in the last round of negotiations, that we have contributed significantly to this province,» Earle said in an interview with reporters after giving a keynote speech Thursday morning. «We didn`t create the problem. All Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have seen (the cost of living) rise, as have our members who work in the public sector. So what our message is – and we cannot predict what will happen in collective bargaining – is the status quo that we will not accept. The agreements include wage increases and improvements in contract language, according to the union. 51 collective agreements in the last two years, a single work action, the lockout of workers in the Town of Paradise. Earle says NAPE is ready to negotiate, fight and win. pic.twitter.com/A2wVzfMToh NAPE is currently trying to get new offers for home care providers. In all negotiations, Earle said the union wanted to avoid labor actions, but added that workers had the right to consider this option. Over the past two years, workers represented by NAPE have ratified 51 collective agreements. The only case where work actions took place during this period was when the City of Paradise released unionized employees.
«Home care is at a very critical point,» said Earle. «We were in conciliation. We have 27 agents for whom we have to negotiate. There are 20 with whom we were in conciliation. The employers simply did not take the bargaining committee seriously, so we have serious concerns. We asked for a written report. . The quintessence is that if we do not get a collective agreement, we will consult with our members.
They offer invaluable service and are mostly women – over 95 percent. I think there is a way. Behind the scenes, there were a few conversations we had. This is what is seen in health. Jerry Earle, who is now approaching the next round of collective bargaining in the public sector, says NAPE is preparing for it, will not accept the status quo of the minority Liberal government. pic.twitter.com/cfKctZ5AjL According to Nape, the agreements affect more than 4,000 workers across the province. Workers voted 89% in favour of adopting the agreement. As Nape/NUPGE is still at the negotiating table with several home care agencies, details of the agreement will not be released at this stage so as not to affect other negotiating groups. «I would like to commend the bargaining team for their hard work and determination to reach a favorable agreement for Caregivers` home and youth caregivers.