After a week-long vote conducted electronically, the members of the NSP bargaining unit of IBEW Local 1928 voted to accept the terms of a settlement that commits NSP to not outsourcing the work of regular employees for ten years in exchange for closure of the existing defined benefit pension plan to new entrants (the DB pension was closed to new entrants on the non-union side in 2012). The result was 68.4% in favour of the agreement. 66% of the membership voted.

Just over twenty-four hours left in the week-long electronic vote for NSP bargaining unit members on MOA re: outsourcing. Note that if you have NOT received your voting package in the mail and you think you should, it is likely that the union has the wrong address for you (or you have never actually joined the Local). Call the union hall to get assistance and to review the source documents. Please exercise your right to vote.

The Voter Information Letter that was printed and mailed this week by Intelivote erroneously contained the same invalid "dummy" PIN for every voter. This PIN will not allow anyone to vote. Correct Voter Information Letters were mailed to voters on August 21st with each voter's unique and valid PIN (and will arrive tomorrow or early next week, depending on your location). This letter will be YELLOW in colour to distinguish it from the one you first received.

There are six Nova Scotia Labour Day events planned for Monday September 1st this year, taking place in Halifax, Sydney, Port Hawkesbury, Kentville, Yarmouth, and New Glasgow. Please see the link below for specific information from the Canadian Labour Congress and the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour for details on what's happening in your area. Get out and join your Brothers and Sisters in celebrating this annual day that recognizes workers.

* Details Labour Day Events in Nova Scotia

NSP has submitted a 173-page report to the UARB on its response to Post-Tropical Storm Arthur, which hit Nova Scotia on July 5. Some customers were not reconnected until July 12 and Premier MacNeil called on the UARB to conduct an expedited review of NSP's pre- and post-Arthur performance. The report is prepared by a third-party, Davies Consulting and highlights difficulties in forecasting the severity of the winds and the utility's need for permission from owners and municipalities to maintain greater line clearance in powerline right-of-ways. The consultant accepts that NSP followed approved industry practices in its preparing for and responding to Arthur. You can read the consultants' document here. The next step is for the UARB's own consultants and the registered Intervenors to file comments on the report by September 9. NSP will have another chance to respond to comments, by a deadline of September 16. (Review the UARB Timeline for expedited NSP review of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur)