Bargaining for Nova Scotia acute care nurses heading to conciliation

CITYnews halifax \ By Mark Hodgins

The Nova Scotia Council of Nursing Unions says negotiations with the employer will be going to a conciliator after the two sides failed to reach a new deal.

The coalition of four unions say talks ended early on Thursday after a total of 29 face-to-face meetings, according to the unions.

“After a lengthy round of negotiations, delayed in part due to COVID 19 and adapting to a new style of interest-based bargaining, the parties representing nurses who work in hospitals, satellite clinics and public health throughout the province’s acute and community care sector came to an impasse,” the council said in a news release.

The department of labour will now appoint a conciliator with the hopes of reaching a deal that’s acceptable for both sides.

The unions are representing some 10,000 nurses who’ve been without a contract since 2020.