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The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION
Nova Scotia's health minister urges more talks in paramedics contract dispute
HALIFAX - Nova Scotia's unionized paramedics and their employer are being urged to resolve their contract dispute at the negotiating table by the province's health minister.
Dave Wilson said Thursday he is aware of how vital the province's 700 paramedics are to the health system.
Wilson said while he is concerned the union has rejected the final contract offer from Emergency Medical Care Inc., the government intends to respect the collective bargaining process.
"They (paramedics) are a key component of the health care system," said Wilson, who is a former paramedic. "I believe that we have a good system in place for collective bargaining and their job now as a union is to report back to a conciliator and I look forward to that process unfolding."
The union says the main issues in the dispute are working conditions and pensions.
Wilson wouldn't comment on whether negotiations would result in workers getting their demand for defined benefit pensions instead of a defined contribution plan.
But he said he believes conditions have improved since he took part in a strike by paramedics in 1999.
That strike lasted less than a day after the Progressive Conservative government of John Hamm passed legislation that sent the contract dispute to binding arbitration.
Wilson said when he began his career as a paramedic in 1995, he was paid $6.50 an hour, worked 84 hours a week and earned $28,000 a year.
"It has come a long way but that doesn't mean it's a perfect system," Wilson said. "We need to continue to negotiate in good faith with any health care provider and any group, but especially paramedics."
The sides are yet to meet with a conciliator.
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