HALIFAX – Premier Stephen McNeil is doubling down on his warnings to unions and public sector workers that they should expect less in the next round of bargaining.
Civil servants, teachers, and health care workers will all be at the negotiating table this year. McNeil said Thursday that previous agreements have led to wage increases that outpace economic growth, and that won’t happen in this round of negotiations.
“I will only sign collective agreements that I think we can afford,” said McNeil, reiterating a line he also said in Wednesday’s state of the province address.
Provincial unions are already fighting the government on health legislation introduced last fall, and upcoming negotiations could set the scene for another. Danny Cavanagh, the president of the Nova Scotia arm of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said if the government follows through on its talking points it could get messy.
“The problem they’ll be faced with is out migration of people, if you don’t have workers in this province then you won’t get services,” said Cavanagh.
More details on the government’s plan for public sector wages are expected with the budget, when it comes out in March or April.
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