Northwood strike imminent, workers asking for raise

About 420 home support workers in Halifax are getting ready to walk off the job this Friday.

The Northwood employees held an emergency meeting on Sunday night to get ready.

The workers want to be paid the same as their counterparts in acute care hospitals. They say they do the same work and have the same education, training and classification.

Joan Jessome, president of the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union, said her members want a raise of 52 cents per hour this year.

"They would go from $17.95 to $18.47 this year if we were successful, she said.

The workers also take issue with being on call without pay for two hours during each shift.

Managers from Northwood sat down with the union on Thursday but the two sides didnt make progress.

Jessome said her members already voted 97 per cent in favour of a strike. At Sunday night's meeting Jessome told them not to expect more talks with management.

"We're talking about what we're going to do on Friday morning. We won't be going back to the table this week. They have nothing to offer. They won't offer us another offer, she said.

No one from Northwood was available for comment after the meeting.

The workers contract expired on March 31, 2012.