WATERVILLE, N.S. – Unionized employees at Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre in Waterville (KRRC) have given their union a strike mandate.
CUPE Local 1472 President Cathy Cooke says, “Our efforts to reach a negotiated settlement with this employer have been futile to date. We hope this strike vote sends a signal to KRCC that its employees are frustrated with the length of time it has taken to get a new contract.”
The union says 78% of those who voted were in favour of strike action.
Cooke says, “We can only conclude that bargaining a new contract for its employees appears to be a very low priority for this employer. Our last contract, a three-year deal, took over two years to bargain. We’re now more than 15 months without a contract this time around,” says Cooke.
Outstanding issues include:
- Outstanding casual employment issues from the last round of bargaining
- Increase in family leave benefits
- Dental plan improvements
Local 1472 represents some 320 frontline workers at the Kings Regional Rehab Centre.
For information:
Cathy Cooke
President, CUPE Local 1472
(902) 538-9578 (w)
Peter Baxter
CUPE National Rep.
(902) 455-4180 (o)
John McCracken
CUPE Communications Rep.
(902) 455-4180 (o)