Long Term Care Nurses Ratify New Agreement

December 21, 2023

Halifax, NS - Members of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union employed in seventy long term care facilities across the province have voted in favour of a five-year contract that will include improvements to wages, premiums, occupational health and safety and work-life balance. 

Voting on the agreement took place from December 18th until noon today. Approximately 98 per cent of those who voted cast ballots in favour of the new agreement. 

Aside from a wage package that’s competitive with acute care, this agreement provides increases to the late career retention bonus and retiree recruitment incentive. The contract contains many new articles, new language that will help retain and recruit nurses to this sector.

“I’m pleased to see 2023 come to a close with an agreement for our valued long-term care nurses. These nurses work extremely hard. Their work is personally very rewarding, but they also deserve to be compensated fairly for their commitment to one of our most vulnerable populations,” says Janet Hazelton, president of the NSNU.

The acuity of care in nursing homes is at an all-time high, and demands on nursing staff have become increasingly more complex. The NSNU says this agreement will help address many issues faced by nurses employed in the province’s nursing homes.

The NSNU represents over 1100 LPNs and RNs working in long term care across Nova Scotia. These nurses had been without a contract since October 31st, 2020. The new collective agreement will expire October 31st, 2025. 

 
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For more information please contact:

Coleen Logan, NSNU Communications Officer
902-430-6169 | coleen.logan [at] nsnu.ca