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NSNU held a bargaining conference on November 18th in Truro welcoming close to 160 participants. Each of the NSNU’s 130 Locals was entitled to be represented by at least one delegate under Article 8.03 of the Constitution which outlines the eligibility of attendees.
Local executive reps, general members, elected Provincial Negotiating Committees, the Board of Directors, and staff showed up, enthusiastic and informed – what a team! NSNU members should take heart and feel comfortable knowing they are in very capable hands.
To kickstart the day, Darren Patterson, path Program Manager with the Health Association of Nova Scotia shared his expertise from both private industry and unionized public sectors, driving effective solutions that support employee well-being, timely and safe Return to Work (RTW) initiatives and organizational success.
Darren joined HANS and the Group Benefits team in May 2025 to continue the impressive legacy of the PATH program “best practice” disability management strategies and outcomes for NSNU plan members. A question-and-answer session followed his presentation.
An extensive Cross-Country Check-Up outlining the bargaining and contract status of NSNU counterparts from across Canada was presented, providing perspective and some goal-setting aspirations.
NSNU president, Janet Hazelton also provided a 2020-2025 Retrospective, a deep dive into the recently expired collective agreements. The retrospective examined the progress of various commitments made by government and employers in the last round and the effectiveness of some initiatives. Once again, attendees were able to ask questions and share their views.
A table discussion exercise allowed participants from like-minded sectors (i.e. LTC, Acute Care, Community Care) to openly deliberate on future negotiations and priorities. An open mic session provided an opportunity to share the outcomes of those discussions with the extended group.
There are numerous measures and steps that must be taken, including the completion of a bargaining survey, before the Nova Scotia Council of Nursing Unions goes to the table. NSNU will continue to keep you apprised of any progress, and we encourage you to complete survey materials.
If you have questions pertaining to bargaining, please send your correspondence to nsnubargaining [at] nsnu.ca.
