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Pension Improvements Won for VON employees in Ontario and Nova Scotia

January 23, 2025

In an arbitration award issued January 22, 2025, Arbitrator William Kaplan upheld grievances filed by a number of unions against the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON Canada), including NSGEU, NSNU, CUPE, ONA, OPSEU and SEIU.

The award concludes a long-standing and complex dispute over restoration of pension benefits for employees in the VON Canada Pension Plan in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Arbitrator Kaplan directed significant restoration of pension benefits that had been reduced in 2006 when VON was facing serious financial pressures.

Arbitrator Kaplan’s full award is available here. A joint communication from the six unions is here.

The unions were represented by Steven Barrett, Susan Philpott and David Sworn.

Lawyers

Steven Barrett, Susan Philpott, David Sworn

Practice Areas

Labour Law, Pension & Benefits Law