Nova Scotia’s Health Minister Michelle Thompson and the Council of Health Care Unions are at odds over recent negotiations concerning wage increases and labor conditions for health care workers.
In a recent open letter, Thompson outlined the challenges of balancing fair wage increases with the province’s significant financial constraints.
She expressed a commitment to avoiding a potential strike this fall, stating, “We are working hard to reach a fair settlement, but hope alone is not a strategy.” Thompson highlighted the complexities of the negotiations, which involve over 180 different job classifications, and urged all parties to prepare for the possibility of labour disruption if an agreement cannot be reached.
However, the union, representing workers at the IWK and Nova Scotia Health Authority, has criticized Thompson’s approach.
NSGEU President Sandra Mullen responded, “It is disappointing that 48 hours before we were set to return to the bargaining table, the Minister of Health has decided to politicize and undermine health care bargaining by negotiating through the media.”
Susan Gill, a National Representative for Unifor, added, “The Minister’s letter has no other impact than to derail the bargaining process and will continue to leave many health care workers dead last in wages in Canada.”
The union also emphasized ongoing issues with staffing levels and patient care, including long wait times for critical procedures. Karen MacKenzie, a National Representative for CUPE, noted, “The health care system remains over 1000 health care professionals short, with no viable plan to recruit and retain more workers.”
Both sides are set to return to the bargaining table later this week.
