FREDERICTON – Nothing has been disclosed on the state of negotiations in the labor dispute between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the New Brunswick government.
The parties spoke on Thursday and late Friday. When contacted on Saturday, CUPE spokesperson Simon Ouellette only confirmed that the union had agreed not to speak to the media.
In an email, a government spokesperson did not provide details on progress in the negotiations.
Thousands of public servants, including school bus drivers, education support staff and workers in transportation, corrections and the community college system, have been on strike for more than two weeks.
Meanwhile, a union-led legal challenge to an order in council ordering the return to work issued by the previous government for striking healthcare workers is due to be heard Monday in Fredericton.
CUPE says the emergency order is unconstitutional and the fines are excessive. A lawyer for the union said the lawsuit will seek to suspend the decree until a decision is rendered on the merits of the challenge.
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