Highway Workers Reach Agreement

A tentative agreement was reached Thursday night in contract talks between the Department of Transportation and Public Works and the Nova Scotia Highway Workers Union, CUPE Local 1867.

It is the first agreement reached under the new Highway Workers Collective Bargaining Act, which gives highway workers the same protection for their collective bargaining rights as other government employees. The agreement was reached in the third day of talks under a conciliator appointed by the Department of Labour. Negotiations began in November 1997.

"We value the work done by the men and women who maintain the province's highways and ferry service," said Clifford Huskilson, Minister of Transportation and Public Works. "This tentative agreement represents a tremendous amount of work and commitment by both the union and the department. It shows the strength of the new Highway Workers Collective Bargaining Act, which protects the negotiating process."

Said Gareth Drinnan, president of CUPE Local 1867: "Once we have all the details worked out, we will be going out to our membership to begin the ratification process. While the negotiating team recommends the package, we are already looking ahead to the next round of negotiations to begin work on other issues."

Details of the tentative agreement will be kept confidential until the union negotiating committee has had an opportunity to meet with the executive board.

More than 1,000 workers are employed by the Department of Transportation and Public Works to maintain and service Nova Scotia's 26,000 kilometres of highways.