Government introduces broad-reaching bill to restrict job action

News Release - for immediate release

(Halifax, April 1/14) The Nova Scotia government introduced essential services legislation early Monday evening surprising labour groups and prompting wide-spread mobilization of health care workers determined to protest this latest attack on unions.

Nova Scotia had been the hold-out province in Canada unencumbered by anti-strike or essential services legislation. Until now, the 35,000 health care sector employees in this province negotiated emergency and essential services as part of the collective bargaining process. Janet Hazelton, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union sees this move as unwarranted.

“We fully expected some form of legislation this week and were prepared to show our collective support for the labour movement as well as free and collective bargaining rights. We did not see this broad-stroke approach coming. There was no consultation or advance warning which I find alarming,” says Hazelton.

Hazelton says that the Nurses’ Union has been able to bargain without conciliation or interference the last three rounds of negotiations which makes this legislation all the more difficult to accept.

“As the president of the Nurses’ Union I feel this action takes away democratic rights, rights that level the playing field in negotiations. Essential services legislation as proposed effectively removes that right. For all intents and purposes, negotiations will now be one-sided.”

Hazelton also cautions that if Bill 37 becomes law that does not guard against strike action entirely. Provinces where this form of legislation currently exists have experience numerous strikes and job action.

Hazelton said that the right to strike motivates all employers and nurses to reach fair and equitable settlements for workers. Hazelton concludes that under the proposed legislation union will no longer be in a position of collective bargaining but rather collective begging.

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The NSNU represents over 6700 Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and Licensed Practical Nurses working in hospitals, long term care facilities, and community care (VON and Canadian Blood Services). NSNU represents nurses in acute care setting in all 9 District Health Authorities including the IWK and the following hospitals located in the Capital District Health Authority: Dartmouth General, Hants Community, Cobequid Community Health Centre, Eastern Shore Memorial, Twin Oaks, Musquodoboit Valley Hospital. The NSNU represents nurses in the vast majority of long term care facilities throughout the province. The NSNU is a member organization of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions which represents over 156,000 nurses and student nurses across Canada.

Contact:

Janet Hazelton, President of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union

(Mobile 456-2084)

Coleen Logan, Communications Officer

(Bus. 468-0286, mobile 430-6169)