As the New Brunswick government and the striking Canadian Union of Public Employees returned to the bargaining table Friday, Premier Higgs said he's hopeful a deal can be reached.

Roughly 22,000 members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees have been on strike since last Friday, demanding higher wages.

N.B. CUPE members marched on the legislature in Fredericton Saturday as the union is in the final stretch of contract negotiations with the province ahead of a strike vote.