Labour groups irked by Premier McNeil’s comments on nursing unions
Posted May 8, 2014 01:47:55 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The head of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour is not impressed with recent comments from Premier Stephen McNeil on amalgamating the unions that represent nurses in Nova Scotia into one.
McNeil said yesterday that he would legislate the move should it become necessary once the number of health authorities in Nova Scotia are reduced to one.
Rick Clarke says it was organized labour that approached the province with a proposal to pare down the bargaining units not the other way around.
“We’re the ones that put forward a proposal to the minister and the Premier on working together to help the transition from the multiple DHA’s down to the one or two,” he says.
Clarke tells The Rick Howe Show sabre rattling in the media doesn’t help the situation.
“Every time we think we’re getting closer to an opportunity to finally sit down and be heard, because we haven’t been yet, then either the minister of the Premier is out kicking ash up into people’s eyes,” he explains.
Clarke says contrary to what the Premier says, there has been no communication from the province on the issue.
NSGEU president Joan Jessome says nurses don’t need the turmoil that comes with unions fighting with one another.
