N.S. news: Health-care unions seeks conciliation [Video]

Thousands of health-care workers in Nova Scotia could go on strike as their unions file for conciliation to conclude essential services.

According to a news release from the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU), the Health Care bargaining unit – which is made up of 9,000 members from CUPE, NSGEU and Unifor – has met with Nova Scotia Health 13 times to conclude an essential services agreement. The agreement is required under the Health Authorities Act before workers can engage in a legal strike action.

“We have repeatedly seen the employer attempt to undermine workers’ right to strike and, by extension, bargain a fair a collective agreement, by refusing to meaningfully engage in the process of establishing essential services,” said NSGEU first vice-president Hugh Gillis in the release. “This time, we will be asking for the assistance of Conciliation Services or a mediator to oversee the process …