Roughly 500 unionized nursing home workers in the province now have a signed collective agreement in place.
The New Brunswick Nurses Union confirms the agreement reached earlier this year was signed on Friday.
“Nursing Home members will now follow their new collective agreement,” the union said in a tweet.
“Thank you to the Nursing Home negotiation team for your hard work and to the nursing home members for your patience.”
Workers ratified and signed a tentative agreement in February after a three-year battle to renew their contract.
During a Monday news conference, the union announced it had filed a complaint with the province’s labour and employment board.
It claimed the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes refused to sign on the dotted line and cited no reason for the hold-up.
“The fact that our members are being treated so unfairly, and are expected to continue to show up for work and provide care day after day again shows the shortcomings of the sector,” said Paula Doucet, president of the union.
Michael Keating, acting CEO of the nursing home association, said the issue holding back members from signing the agreement was connected to the “financial commitment” to be able to meet new obligations on overtime pay.
Keating said the association was not refusing to sign the deal but instead wanted to make sure nursing homes can pay the extra costs.
“We are presently negotiating with the province to be able to get the funds necessary,” Keating said on Monday.
“The province has advised us that they are going to work collaboratively with us and we’re hoping that by the end of the business day Friday that all nursing homes will have signed the collective agreement.”
Details of the new agreement have not yet been released.
With files from Aaron Sousa.
The #NursingHome #CollectiveAgreement was signed today, May 20th, 2022. Nursing Home members will now follow their new collective agreement.
Thank you to the Nursing Home negotiation team for your hard work and to the nursing home members for your patience. pic.twitter.com/47pUnVLNtw
— New Brunswick Nurses Union (@NBNU_SIINB) May 20, 2022
