CUPE New Brunswick is denouncing a government move to transfer hundreds of licensed practical nurses into the New Brunswick Nurses Union.
The more than 1,900 LPNs were part of CUPE Local 1252, one of 10 locals within the union that recently voted in favour of strike action.
Norma Robinson, president of CUPE Local 1252, called the decision “union-busting at its worst” and said it is only being done because of their strike vote.
“This retribution is an insult to the rights of all healthcare workers to free collective bargaining. Workers told him over and over to fix the staffing crisis at the bargaining table, not through divide and conquer tactics,” Robinson said in a news release.
News of the reclassification came just hours after CUPE announced that, despite being in a legal strike position next week, it would not call members to strike until at least Oct. 22 due to the current COVID-19 situation.
Our newsroom requested comment from Premier Blaine Higgs but was instead directed to a statement released by the Department of Finance and Treasury Board.
The statement said the decision to reclassify the nurses was made after a review of the LPN job classification, which was announced in June.
According to the statement, the review determined that the LPN job is “no longer a good fit” within its current Operational Category and Patient Services group.
“Given the common interests between the LPN and registered nurse (RN) professions, the LPN job classification will be reclassified within the Nursing group effective Oct. 8,” said the statement.
“This is not unprecedented, as both professions are in the same bargaining unit in several other jurisdictions across Canada.”
Finance and Treasury Board will now work with the New Brunswick Nurses Union to finalize an agreement for the reclassification.
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