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A Video Guide to the Trade Union Act Amendments

The amendments to the Trade Union Act are outlined by Minister Mark Parent in video segments. Please click on a question of your choice to view.

Documents

The Nova Scotia government has drafted legislation which protects the health, safety and well being of the public while preserving the collective bargaining process. The documents listed below provide more information.

• A Plain Language Guide to the Proposed Amendments to the Trade Union Act (**PDF)
  
  
• Proposed Amendment to the Trade Union Act
  Health Care and Community Services Collective Bargaining (Revised) (**PDF)
  
  
• DRAFT LEGISLATION DRAFT LEGISLATION -- Updated Oct 30th 2007 (see section 119 ( 3))
  An Act to Provide for the Fair Resolution of Health Care or Community Services Disputes Through Mediation and Binding Arbitration (**PDF)
  
  
• News Release
  
  

Additional questions received via e-mail

Q: Are you trying to use scare tactics to try and convince the public that healthcare strikes will lead to the harm of patients in order to curtail the freedom of unions to operate in the province?

A: Nova Scotians deserve to know that when they go into a hospital, or when they're in a long-term care facility, when they're waiting for a paramedic, that their safety is not going to be put in jeopardy by a strike or the threat of a strike. As the Minister of Environment and Labour, I believe strongly in workers rights. Thats why we have drafted legislation that preserves free, fair and impartial collective bargaining—independent of government. Workers will still get to vote on contracts arrived at through the collective bargaining process. This has not changed. It is only when the parties reach an impasse that they move to a binding mediation or binding arbitration process to resolve outstanding issues. Thank you for your question.

Q: Minister, This quote is from the NSAHO website "Since 1997, there have been 20 strikes in our health care system, 15 legal and five illegal."—do you agree with this number?

A: Since 1997 there have been 20 strikes in our health care system which in addition to hospitals includes nursing homes and community services homes. In total, there have been 15 legal and five illegal. You can find the numbers in the Discussion Paper we released in June 2007. You can find the information on page 4. Here's the link: http://www.gov.ns.ca/enla/unionworkplaces/docs/
DiscussionPaperHealthcare.pdf

Q: How soon will this amendment take place? Are the Liberals and NDP going to try to block this?

A: The government intends to introduce this proposed legislation during the fall session of the Legislature. The proposed legislation will come into effect only if it is passed in the Legislature and later proclaimed into law. These changes will apply to all health-care and community services bargaining taking place when the legislation comes into effect. This includes negotiations that began before that date. Thank you for your question.