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HALIFAX, Sept. 30, 2014 /CNW/ - Given recent public comments by Health Minister Leo Glavine, Unifor remains optimistic that the proposal for a bargaining association it developed with other health care unions in Nova Scotia will be established.
The four unions are now calling for an emergency meeting with the minister to clarify his comments about the bargaining association model and its status.
"We've read the bill thoroughly and can't understand why the government would approve a multi-employer bargaining association for the employers but won't approve a multi-union bargaining association for the workers," said Lana Payne, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director, referring to section 26 of the bill. "It is a good model. We proposed this model because it is smart and sustainable. It would certainly avoid the chaos that the government is inviting at this point."
Yesterday, Unifor members gathered with hundreds of others at the Nova Scotia Legislature to protest Bill 1, which will place workers into the four unions based on their job classification. Union members from across the province and members of all four unions have been vocal about their support of the bargaining association model.
"We have given the government a good plan for bargaining," continued Payne. "We stand by this and know that it is in the best interests of our members, and will protect the stability we need to ensure a high quality health care system."
Unifor was founded Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. With more than 305,000 members, including more than 4,000 health care workers in Nova Scotia, Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector.
SOURCE Unifor
