N.B. nursing home workers sign new collective agreement

New Brunswick nursing home workers have signed a new collective agreement.

More than 4,500 workers in New Brunswick nursing homes now have a new collective agreement that their union says reaches wage parity with health-care workers.

The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions says it officially signed the new agreement with the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes on Wednesday.

“This is a good day for our members and for the seniors they care for,” said Sharon Teare, president of the council, in a news release. “Workers stood strong, and I commend their resolve and their activism through a long but ultimately fruitful negotiation process. Their determination has paid off.”

The workers’ previous contract expired in late 2022, leading to negotiations.

The new agreement includes annual wage increases of more than on dollar per hour for each year of the deal. The council says nursing home workers’ wages will achieve parity with health-care workers by the end of the new contract in 2028.

“This deal will help address the recruitment and retention issues plaguing the sector. This will mean better hands-on care for seniors,” said Teare.

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