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Nova Scotia government ends free collective bargaining for paramedics
Fri, 2013-07-05 23:24
#1
Nova Scotia government ends free collective bargaining for paramedics
Fri, 2013-07-05 23:27
#2
Unfortunately, this episode deserves its own thread. Enemies of the workers - like the PQ government in Québec, and in this case, the NDP government of Nova Scotia - must be held to account, and their crimes recorded and remembered.
[url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2013-07-05/article-3302939/Para... dispute goes to binding arbitration[/url]
The Nova Scotia government stepped in Friday to avert a possible strike by the province’s paramedics, a move that could have political implications for Darrell Dexter’s New Democrats in the last year of their mandate.
"Political implications" - yes, please.
Sun, 2013-07-07 03:03
#3
Why wouldn't the paramedics have already been covered under Essential Services Legislation in the first place?
Sun, 2013-07-07 10:35
#4
Excellent question, A24.
Nova Scotia doesn't appear to have "essential services" legislation as a broad category as such, the way the federal code and most provinces do, in matters which could pose an immediate and serious danger to the health or safety of the public. If done in good faith and judiciously, that could meet the standards of the ILO (and of the Charter) as being a necessary and very limited breach of freedom of association.
They seem to have specific clauses prohibiting strikes or lockouts of police and firefighters, and recourse to interest arbitration (i.e. contracts imposed by an arbitrator if no settlement) - but nothing about the health care sector, or other situations where health or safety might be obvious concerns. Saskatchewan, as we discussed in another thread some time ago regarding road repair or snow removal, is another case where such legislation is or was lacking (haven't kept up with recent stuff).
I'm not saying, therefore, that some clear legislation which respects (e.g.) paramedics' right to strike but allows very limited intervention to ensure that emergency services are available would be anathema. But in the absence of such "surgical" and democratically enacted laws, to improvise in this way is to show desperation and contempt for workers' rights.
Sun, 2013-07-07 13:27
#5
Does anyone know what the real issue is in this dispute? They had a very large turnout and over 70% rejection of an agreement recommended by a mediator and their union. I suspect the rejection might be about casual language since casuals are not included as union members but that is mere speculation on my part. Obviously this collective agreement has some poison pill that the membership finds to repulsive too swallow.
Sun, 2013-07-07 16:31
#6
Does anyone know what the real issue is in this dispute? They had a very large turnout and over 70% rejection of an agreement recommended by a mediator and their union. I suspect the rejection might be about casual language since casuals are not included as union members but that is mere speculation on my part. Obviously this collective agreement has some poison pill that the membership finds to repulsive too swallow.
They've rejected at least three offers so far, two of them recommended by the union leadership.
Seems they work for a private agency contracted by government to provide paramedical air and ground services, but have been treated like crap by comparison with public service employees and paramedics elsewhere. Most striking example: No defined benefit pension plan. But likewise for wages, and benefit plans where they apparently pay all or part of the premiums and the employer can hike them at will to even out compensation increases.
Just stuff I picked up by reading some of the excellent and very informative comments [url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1132490-nova-scotia-paramedics-r... - after the second-last rejection - the comments are better than the article.
Sun, 2013-07-07 23:59
#7
They've rejected at least three offers so far, two of them recommended by the union leadership.
What a vote of non-confidence. Sounds like the union leadership needs to be sent packing ASAP.
Mon, 2013-07-08 00:14
#8
Looks bad for sure - but I don't like to judge internal problems of workers when they're are under attack and certainly without knowing all the circumstances.