2015 February Holiday and Local 1928 Collective Agreements

In December of 2013, the Liberal government introduced Bill 15 during its first sitting in the provincial legislature. The February Holiday Act establishes the third Monday in February as a statutory provincial holiday by amending the Interpretation Act, the Labour Standards Code, the Retail Business Uniform Closing Day Act, and the Retail Business Designated Day Closing Act. However, because unionized employees are subject to  the Trade Union Act, even though the minimum standard for statutory holidays in the province has been thus amended, it is the responsibility unions and employers working under that Act to negotiate a change and amend Collective Agreements accordingly.

The following Local 1928 collective agreements have existing holiday articles that recognize any new statutory holidays that are legally declared by the government: Municipality of Shelburne, Town of Shelburne, Town of Lunenberg, Town of Lockeporte.

The following agreements do not have such language: Emera Utility Services (Transmission/Distribution and Communications contracts), Municipality of Queens, Town of Antigonish (Public Works and Electric Utility contracts), Black and MacDonald, Town of Berwick, Nova Scotia Power, and Nova Scotia Power Maritime Link. Of these, Town of Antigonish and Emera Utility Services have agreed to recognize and add the new holiday. Nova Scotia Power and the Municipality of Queens have agreed to recognize the holiday this coming February, but because those collective agreements are up for renewal, have reserved the right to negotiate for the years following 2015. Black and MacDonald (a contract also expiring in 2015) will grant employees the day day off this February if they chose, but employees will not be compensated. Nova Scotia Power Maritime Link has not responded to requests to clarify their position on the new February holiday, but currently there are no unionized employees working under that contract.

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IBEW LOCAL 1928

Suite 204
14 McQuade Lake Crescent
Bayers Lake Industrial Park
Beechville NS B3S 1B6

P: 1 800 450 5366
F: 902 450 5080