Steering Committee on Workplace Violence Prevention

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 We are pleased to announce that a collaborative steering committee has been formed to implement a public awareness campaign regarding workplace violence in health care settings.

The Steering Committee on Workplace Violence Prevention includes membership from the Department of Health, Vitalité Health Network, Horizon Health Network, Extra-Mural/Ambulance New Brunswick Inc., the New Brunswick Nurses Union, CUPE, the New Brunswick Union, and the New Brunswick Medical Society.

Together, we will develop the appropriate strategies, objectives, measurements and messages that meet the needs of all the organizations represented on the committee. The campaign will provide a common voice in response to escalating violence in New Brunswick workplaces.

HERO’S DESERVE MORE THAN ZERO’S

Sisters and Brothers…

Your bargaining committee met with the Employer and the Conciliator on December 8th to continue the bargaining process. The employer presented CUPE 1252 with their wage mandate for a four-year period from July 1-2019 to January 1-2023.   They were as follows.

July 1-2019–0.5%, January 1-2020–0.5%,

July 1-2020–0%, January 1-2021–0%,

July 1-2021–0.5%, January 1-2022–0.5%,

July 1-2022–0.5% and January 1-2023–0.5%,

This equates to a total of 3% over four years.

Your bargaining committee was prepared to negotiate further, but the position of the employer was if we did not accept the wages as presented, they could not negotiate any further on other monetary proposals.  Your bargaining committee could not accept the employer’s position.   CUPE 1252 informed the conciliator conciliation was over and the report could be written.

What happens next; under the Public Service Labour Relation Act (PSLRA), which is the law we must follow through the bargaining process, the conciliator has a total of fourteen (14) days to write a report and present the report to the Minister of Labour. Then the Minister of Labour has fifteen (15) days to consider if a conciliation board is an option. CUPE 1252 has considered this option but will not prolong the process. You the membership directed us going into bargaining and we stand firm on that directive.

It is imperative you the membership provide your contact information to your local executive and attend all meetings in the coming weeks to get updates as information becomes available.

Let us “ZERO” in on our priorities.

“HERO’S DESERVE MORE THAN ZERO’S”

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In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee

NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 Bargaining Update October 2020

In February 2020, your bargaining team walked away from the table and applied for the
next steps in bargaining which was Conciliation. What this means is the parties meet
with a third party to mediate between the two to attempt to achieve a tentative
agreement. There were dates considered shortly after we walked away from the table,
but when the state of emergency was called in March 2020 due to Covid-19, this put
bargaining in a holding pattern until the government was able to resume services face to
face. The two bargaining teams met for four days this month to review all outstanding
proposals with the conciliator and to determine dates moving forward. We have dates
set in early December to continue with our discussions. There were no dates in
November due to all parties not having availability in their calendars. We continue to be
committed to the mandate of our membership and will continue the course as directed.

In Solidarity
Your Bargaining Team

CUPE 1252 Communique

Healthcare Staff at Odds with Government Over Surgical Masks

Fredericton, NB – CUPE Local 1252, representing over 12,000 members in the NB Healthcare system, is appalled by the diminutions of personal protective equipment (PPE) allocation for healthcare staff.

“From day one the staff have all had access to Level 3 surgical masks to provide a maximum layer of protection just below the N95. However, Horizon recently downgraded that requirement to a Level 1, and that is simply wrong,” said Norma Robinson, President of CUPE Local 1252.

A level one mask only provides general protection for staff, whereas a Level 3 provides maximum protection. “It now appears as though the province and health authorities are going to nickel and dime the staff and throw health and safety to the wolves,” added Robinson.

CUPE Local 1252 has been very cooperative with the provincial government and health authorities when it comes to dealing with this global pandemic, but that cooperation is now becoming strained. Since the beginning of this pandemic there has been plenty of understanding of the importance of proper PPE for all staff and that included the right to proper face protection.

“The first and last line of defence against this virus are the Hospitals in this province and it makes no sense at all to jeopardize the staff that is providing that defence,” says Ralph McBride, CUPE National Servicing Representative.

“We are 9 months into this fight, in the middle of the second wave. How can they pivot and say their employees’ health does not matter by downgrading these masks to something inferior than first supplied?” asked McBride.

“Healthcare employees are working above and beyond in their stressful daily routines. The last thing they should worry about in this second wave is having less protection. This needs to be corrected immediately,” said Robinson.

“Premier Higgs do the right thing and tell your health authorities to stop nickel-and-diming people. Health and safety must come first!” concluded Robinson.

For more information:

Norma Robinson
President, CUPE 1252
506-272-7727

Ralph McBride
CUPE Servicing Representative
506-608-9803

License Practical Nurse’s Day

CUPE LOCAL1252
Would like to congratulate the licensed practical nurse for providing a valuable service to the population of New Brunswick. Thank you for your outstanding and dedicated service.

2020 lpn week

 Happy Nurses Week to the great nursing staff I work with as well as all those across the province. This is the year of the Nurse … we’ve seen their profession being tested in ways we would have never expected over the past couple months, but each and everyone has done an exceptional job … thank you for all you do .. Norma M. Robinson

NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 bargaining newsletter – February 2020

Sisters and Brothers:

Your bargaining committee has been meeting with the employer to ratify a tentative agreement since June 2019. During this period, we worked through most language proposals and moved forward to our monetary package exchange in January 2020.

Your bargaining committee met with the employer representatives on February 12th, 2020, at which time we responded verbally to the employer’s monetary package that was presented in January 2020.

NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 bargaining newsletter – November 2019

Sisters and Brothers:

Your bargaining team met with the government bargaining team on November 19, 20, 21st. During this period, we continue to work on housekeeping issues and have dates booked to meet in December to continue the process. We ask that you attend your Local Union meetings as we move forward for up to date information and the vital role the membership have.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to your Union.

In Solidarity,
The NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 Bargaining Team

NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 bargaining newsletter – August 2019

Sisters and Brothers:
 
Your bargaining team met with the government bargaining team on July 23rd, 24th, and 25th.  During this period, we continue to work on housekeeping issues and have dates booked to meet at the end of August to continue the process.
 
Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to your Union.
 
In Solidarity,
The NBCHU CUPE Local 1252 Bargaining Team