NAPE Reaches Tentative Agreements in Public Sector Negotiations

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The negotiating teams representing public sector workers, who are members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), have reached tentative agreements with the provincial government and respective employers.

NAPE President Carol Furlong and Secretary-Treasurer Bert Blundon met with Minister of Finance Jerome Kennedy and officials of the Treasury Board throughout the summer. As a result of those meetings, NAPE’s public sector bargaining teams returned to the bargaining table last week in an effort to reach a fair deal.

“I am pleased to announce, after marathon bargaining sessions over the past eight days, that we have reached tentative agreements which our negotiating teams will be recommending approval to our members,” said Furlong. “We have made substantial gains on a number of monetary issues. In some cases, monetary benefits have increased in excess of 300%. In other cases, monetary benefits have increased by 100%. These are unprecedented gains for NAPE members.”

Government has agreed to implement the Job Evaluation System (JES) earlier than previously planned. This new system will see total compensation increase for NAPE members by approximately 48 million dollars. This is over and above the negotiated salary increases.

“I believe when our members have an opportunity to see the total package they will be prepared to accept the agreement,” stated Furlong.

The tentative agreements apply to the following NAPE bargaining units: General Service, Hospital Support Staff, Maintenance and Operational Services, Group Homes, Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, Marine Services, Laboratory and X-Ray, Health Professionals, School Boards, Student Assistants, Air Services, and College of the North Atlantic Support Staff.

NAPE bargaining teams will be taking the tentative agreements to the members for ratification votes in the coming weeks. NAPE is currently in the process of setting up these meetings.

Full details of the agreements will be released at the ratification meetings where members will have an opportunity to vote on the tentative agreements.

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