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CUPE New Brunswick is calling on the Premier to sign their deal or resign.
In a video posted to social media, Union president Stephen Drost delivered this message, “You want us to vote on a deal, then sign CUPE’s offer so we can vote. If you don’t want to vote, then it’s time to resign.”
Drost says the government’s wage offer is conditional, “He says, you can have these wage increases, only if CUPE 2745 and 1253 sign a memorandum of agreement that gives away their defined pension plans first.”
The Centralized Bargaining team is asking Higgs to return to the bargaining table, “We ask that you respond to the Centralized Bargaining Team’s package that you received on November 5th, 2021 or return to the bargaining table to resolve the wage package. The sooner this can happen, the sooner the frontline workers can return to work to provide frontline services for all New Brunswickers.”
Premier Blaine Higgs, on the other hand, believes the government offer made to CUPE last week is a “really good offer for employees.”
He says this includes an average of 15 per cent over five years including wage adjustments.
Higgs says, “We asked the actuaries will get together and they look at the plans for 1253 and 2745 and understand the condition the plans are in and create a path forward that is sustainable. Any path forward would see the plans get fully funded to start the process because right now they are significantly underfunded. While we can argue that taxpayers just should continue to fund whatever is required. It’s not fair and reasonable for taxpayers.”
The premier has also offered to host a town hall to further explain aspects of the current offer.
With files from Tara Clow and Tamara Steele.
