A union representing thousands of nursing home workers is accusing the government of stalling bargaining talks.
The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions (NBCNHU) says the government has not clarified what funding they will allocate for nursing homes.
As a result, the union said it has been able to discuss monetary issues with the employer association, the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes.
“In the current situation, where the New Brunswick nursing homes association lacks the necessary funding assurances from the New Brunswick government, no one can effectively negotiate any monetary items for the future collective agreement,” said Sharon Teare, president of the NBCNHU.
The council, which represents more than 4,500 CUPE members working in 51 nursing homes, is urging the government to make funding guarantees to the association a “top priority.”
Vice-president Jason St-Onge said they are prioritizing “real wage increases” for workers in this round of bargaining.
“It is crucial to implement real wage increases that surpass the rising cost of living, especially considering the massive staff shortage and high turnover in our sector,” St-Onge said in a news release.
St-Onge noted that more than 250 nursing home beds in the homes where their members work remain unoccupied due to a lack of staff.
The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions’ last contract expired in October.
Our newsroom has requested comment from the Department of Social Development.
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