NEWS RELEASE
NAPE Reaches Tentative Agreement for ‘Group of 17’ Home Care Workers
For immediate Release:
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
ST. JOHN’S, NL– The Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE) has reached a tentative agreement for nearly 3000 home care workers across Newfoundland and Labrador.
The tentative agreement is between home care workers, represented by NAPE, and the following 17 home care agencies, referred to as the ‘Group of 17’: A Better Living, Maximum Home Support, Total Care Nursing, Bettercare, Notre Dame Compassionate, Your Home Care Services, Comfort Home Care, Provincial (Central), Loving Hands, Compassion Home Care, Provincial (Eastern), Serenity Home Care, Exploits Home Care, Quality Home Care, Horwoods Home Care, Helping Hands and Rosemore Home Care.
The Group of 17 had been referred to conciliation in June.
The tentative agreement includes monetary increases in wages as well as improvements in contract language.
“This was a difficult set of negotiations and we are pleased to reach this stage,” said NAPE President Jerry Earle. “This group of workers play a vital role in our province’s health care system; providing care and support to some of our provinces most vulnerable. So it is good to see them take a step towards the dignity and respect that they deserve for the valuable service they provide.”
“The provincial government should be commended for recognizing the vital role that home care workers play in our province by providing the funds necessary to help us reach this tentative agreement,” stated Earle.
Details of the tentative agreement will be released to members at the ratification meetings, which are currently being scheduled.
NAPE is still in various stages of bargaining with the following home care agencies: Caregivers, Tender Loving care, South Coast Home Care, All Care Home Support, Best of Care, Angel’s Touch Home Care, Caring Hans Home Care, Placentia Home Care/Home Sweet Home, and In Home Health Care. The Union is hopeful that a tentative agreement with the Group of 17 will lead to a speedy resolution to these remaining sets of negotiations.
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For further information, please contact:
Keith Dunne, NAPE Campaigns and Communications Coordinator
(phone) 709.570.2501 (cell) 709.631.9737 (email) kdunne@nape.ca
