Conciliation called for CUPE contract talks

Bargaining between the Newfoundland and Labrador government and one of its unions is heading to conciliation.

The move with the Canadian Union of Public Employees is being made after eight bargaining sessions, said provincial CUPE president Wayne Lucas.

Lucas said that although there has been some progress, bringing in a conciliator should help speed up a resolution.

"Certainly, you know, we're not going to go down the road where we want to negotiate in public," Lucas said.

"[But] we want to move things along at the bargaining table, whereas the various employers are able to talk about local issues that there's a price tag to."

CUPE's contract expires Monday.

The union represents health-care workers, along with employees at school boards, libraries, and at Government House.

Lucas said he expects the conciliation process to be up and running within two weeks.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government began formal bargaining rounds this winter with its largest union, the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees.

NAPE and CUPE waged a one-month joint strike against the provincial government in April 2004, but were legislated back to work.