The province’s largest union begrudgingly went along with a wage freeze in their last contract with government, but not so this time.

President Jerry Earle says they already have their negotiating team in place and are putting their proposals together.

The union has negotiated over 50 contracts for some 23,000 workers since their last biennial convention two years ago. Yesterday, Earle told the 500-plus delegates at the Delta that the next round of bargaining is going to be much different from the last.

He says they have played their part in helping the province through its current fiscal situation. His message to the Ball Government: The status quo will not be acceptable this time.