Despite an offer from NAPE and CUPE to send remaining issues to binding arbitration, the Newfoundland and Labrador government confirmed its intention to break the three-week-old public service strike.
While it has been, and continues to be, our preference to negotiate a collective agreement, we believe it is unlikely that the parties will now be able to resolve this matter through negotiations, the unions say in an April 22 letter.
The unions sent premier Danny Williams their offer just before 1 pm. Some time later, the premier announced to the media he would legislate an end to the strike.
Williams said his strike-breaking law would be based on the governments last offer, which includes two years of wage freezes and slashes sick leave benefits for new employees.
Workers rallied at the legislature in a bid to pressure the government to return to the table to resolve the remaining issues: sick leave, school board employees hours of work, and wages. A large rally with participation from across the labour movement is planned for Monday.
Some 16,000 members of NAPE, together with 3,500 CUPE members have been on strike since April 1, 2004.
