Says current policy 'strikes a balance between the interests of unions, employers and employees’
The Nova Scotia Labour Board has rejected a move by the Nova Scotia Union of Public and Private Employees (NSUPE) to carve out trades and maintenance workers from an existing bargaining unit at the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE).
In a decision dated Jan. 16, 2026, the Board dismissed NSUPE’s application to amend Local 2 to exclude about 47 trades and maintenance employees from a unit of roughly 640 workers that includes both custodial and trades classifications. As a result, a companion certification application seeking to establish a new trades-only bargaining unit was also dismissed.
The Board confirmed it would not depart from its longstanding policy that strongly disfavours fragmenting existing bargaining units unless compelling reasons are shown.
“The Board was not persuaded that it should change its longstanding policy which requires compelling evidence to justify fragmenting existing bargaining units,” wrote Chair Jasmine Walsh. “The current policy strikes a balance between the interests of unions, employers and employees which serves the goal of achieving sound labour relations.”
The panel placed considerable weight on the stability and functionality of the existing relationship between NSUPE Local 2 and HRCE. Since the amalgamation of predecessor school boards, the parties have negotiated eight collective...
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