NEU and GN broke off negotiations on the Essential Services Agreement (ESA) on March 10th 2012. Three GN departments are unresolved at this time and Health and Social Services and Justice are seeking additional designations to their original proposals.

Additional dates for continued negotiations are being explored as early as this week or next. Should these negotiations fail there is a possibility that arbitration may be request in order to resolve the outstanding issues.

The ESA situation must be resolved before we are in a legal strike position.