Long-term care agreement reached.
CUPE Local 1082 and St. Vincently reach tentative agreement for long-term care workers, pending review.
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A tentative agreement was reached late on June 6, 2026, ending an eight-week strike by long-term care workers in Nova Scotia. CUPE Local 1082 and St. Vincent's Nursing Home in Halifax struck the deal at 10:23 PM, according to National Post. The breakthrough comes after roughly 3,600 workers walked off the job at 36 facilities on April 13.
Because Local 1082 serves as the so-called "Lead Table" for bargaining, the deal it sets will create an economic pattern for the entire sector — covering approximately 5,500 workers across 52 facilities province-wide, Ottawa Sun reported. Workers must still vote to ratify the agreement before the strike officially ends.
Eight Weeks on the Picket Line: How the Strike Escalated
The strike began on April 13, 2026, after CUPE members voted 97.5% in favor of strike action back in October 2025. Negotiations broke down on May 7 when the province presented what the union called a "recycled" offer. By late May, workers were picketing outside Premier Tim Houston's own State of the Province address at the Halifax Convention Centre, according to Shoreline Beacon.
Public pressure mounted sharply in early June. Families of nursing home residents held rallies in Eastern Passage, reporting worsening care standards. One resident, Carl Snyder, president of his facility's residents' council, said the food had become "terrible" and his blood sugar had dropped — but added, "They need a decent wage." A poll during the strike found that 91% of Nova Scotians agreed LTC workers deserved a living wage.
Low Wages at the Heart of the Dispute
The core issue was pay. CUPE Local 1082 president Janet MacDonald said Nova Scotia's long-term care workers were the "lowest paid in Atlantic Canada," calling the gap "unacceptable" and "shameful." Some classifications — such as dietary aides, laundry staff, and maintenance workers — earned as little as $18.30 an hour before the strike, well below Halifax's estimated living wage of around $23.50, according to Edmonton Examiner.
The province argued its offer was already strong. Minister of Seniors Barbara Adams said it was "competitive" and matched deals accepted by hospital and home care staff. The government's last public offer included wage increases of 12–24% over four years and a 70% boost to shift and weekend premiums — raising them from $2.35 to $4.00 an hour. The union countered that those deals did not fix the sector-wide wage floor, according to Chatham Daily News.
Government and Union Trade Sharp Words Throughout Dispute
The two sides openly clashed in public. Premier Houston repeatedly called on members to vote on the May 7 offer, saying, "It's time for those members to vote... we did listen carefully... we made a move on our side." CUPE's Christa Sweeney fired back, accusing the government of "spreading misinformation" and "blatant lies" about the union's willingness to put previous offers to a vote, according to Sault Star.
Nova Scotia NDP leader Claudia Chender stood with workers on the picket lines. She warned that "new facilities and additional beds don't matter if there is no one willing to do the work." The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives noted the strike exposed the chronic undervaluing of a workforce that is predominantly made up of women and racialized workers, according to Pembroke Observer.
What Comes Next: Ratification, Retroactive Pay, and Sector Stability
The deal's full terms will not be made public until members have a chance to review and vote on it, according to Brantford Expositor. If ratified, the strike will end at all 36 facilities currently on picket lines. The agreement is also expected to include significant retroactive pay dating back to the contract expiration in 2023.
Analysts say the deal could help ease a staffing crisis driven by years of low wages and pandemic burnout. Because Local 1082 is the Lead Table, the economic terms it locks in will flow through to all 52 facilities in the province — making this one agreement a defining moment for thousands of workers across Nova Scotia's long-term care system, according to Paris Star Online.
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