Exploring Ways to Move Forward Together: Presentation to Labour - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Exploring Ways to Move Forward Together:

Presentation to Labour Union Leaders

No November 201 2015

Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions
• Update and Re-cap of August 18, 2015 meeting
• Our shared opportunity
• Policy goals and objectives
• Next steps
• Feedback & discussion

WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS

Update & Recap

• At our last meeting, indicated that Government is

committed to meaningful collective bargaining to achieve sustainable public services

• Openness to innovation, creativity, and new ideas for

the benefit of all Nova Scotians and to collaboration leading to “shared gains” for employees

• Asked you to engage and undertake meaningful

collective bargaining & to bring this information to your leadership and members

• And to discuss through action at bargaining table

Recap: Public Service Sustainability Mandate

• Applies to all public sector employers whose collective

agreements expire on or after March 31, 2014

• Mandate provides employers the ability to negotiate five

year agreements with a fixed fiscal envelope consistent with government’s published fiscal plan

• Mandate enables employers to allocate some portions of

innovative cost savings or cost avoidance— “shared gains” to wage increases in out years of the collective agreement

• Shared gains can be any negotiated changes that generate

savings—not necessary that savings be from current collective agreement

Worth repeating: Our Fiscal Reality

• Government spends about $5.2 billion on compensation.

At 52% of total spending, compensation represents the single largest expense of the government

• Nova Scotia has had the slowest economic growth in real

GDP of any province since 1990

• Nova Scotia’s government expenses have exceeded its

revenues in 20 out of the last 30 years

• Nova Scotia has a structural deficit

Sin ince We Last Met…

• Limited Progress
• Some tables are meeting…but not many
• Positioning v. collaborating
• Meaningful collective bargaining is challenging

Our Shared Opportunity

• Purpose of mandate:
• align our interests in collective bargaining

processes as much as possible

• Common mission – to serve the public and have

sustainable public services

• Mission cannot be achieved without the engaged

participation of unions and their members

• Moving to collaboration to achieve common goals

• US Department of Labor (1996) saw up to 20%

productivity improvement from collaborative approach: “Cooperative relationships have reduced costs, improved service, facilitated conflict resolution, reduced grievances, and improved the quality of work life by increasing job security, improving skills and advancement opportunities and raising wages

• r bonuses”.

P122, Strategic Choices in Reforming Public Service Employment: An International Handbook, 2001

Our Shared Opportunity

Labour Rela lations Envir ironment

• Is the status quo working?
• Process was designed for a different era

Seeking Your In Input

• Is the current model—Wagner Act—working effectively

for Nova Scotians?

• Does our legislation address recent Supreme Court of

Canada decisions adequately?

• Are “good faith bargaining” requirements and “impasse

resolution processes” effective?

• What changes would promote a more collaborative

model?

• How can we sustain public services given fiscal realities?

Next Steps

• Seeking your feedback in writing by November 16, 2015
• Email:

financeminister@novascotia.ca

• Mail:

Department of Finance and Treasury Board, Box 187, 1793 Hollis Street, Halifax, NS B3J2N3

• Invite bargaining agents to continue current negotiations
• Public Service Sustainability Mandate (2014-2019)
• Remain committed to ongoing, meaningful collective bargaining

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Discussion