The Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Government of New Brunswick are at an impasse as the strike enters its 10th day.
Premier Blaine Higgs said on Saturday he was shocked the union did not accept an offer his government made last week.
Steve Drost, president of CUPE New Brunswick, said on Sunday the union sent a counter-offer to the province on Friday, but had yet to receive a response.
Drost said there were no plans for the two sides to meet.
The province ordered the striking health care workers back to work on Friday.
Those fired include more than 2,000 workers in Locals 1252, 1190 and 1251, who represent support staff in immunization clinics and hospitals, and those who provide laundry services to hospitals and nursing homes. .
The decree only applies to strikers in the health sector. School staff, prison guards, court reporters and other strikers are not affected and are continuing their strike.
Lawyers for the union are examining how they might challenge the order, Drost said on Saturday.
The union’s most recent offer calls for a two percent per year pay rise, plus an additional 25 cents per hour per year for the first three years, and 50 cents per hour for the fourth and fifth years.
The province’s most recent offer includes the same 2% increase each year, plus an increase of 25 cents per hour in each of the five years. There is also a demand that some locals accept pension changes.
The province wants the union to transfer two locals to the province’s shared risk pension plan.
The province and the union agree that casual workers’ wages should be increased to 100 percent of the applicable regular rate of pay, from the current 80 percent.
Due to the labor dispute, all schools across the province will continue home learning on Monday for the second week in a row.
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