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Need for labour adjustment strategy around new merged/shared service initiatives

"We have to wonder what will be the impacts of this estimated $7-9 million dollars in savings. How will the services being changed be affected? Who will be doing the work of the 100 or so positions being cut? What will be the impact in different parts of the province?”

logo of the Nova Scotia Government & General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE)Halifax (06 March 2012) - The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) is very concerned about how the projected merged/shared service initiatives announced will affect patient care and the administrative and support services that are vital to it.

According to NSGEU Secretary-Treasurer, Darren McPhee, “We are pleased to learn that the government and the DHAs have chosen thus far not to engage in privatization of the four key administrative and support services being changed. We also welcome a commitment to honor existing collective agreements.”

“But we have to wonder what will be the impacts of this estimated $7-9 million dollars in savings. How will the services being changed be affected? Who will be doing the work of the 100 or so positions being cut? What will be the impact in different parts of the province?”

McPhee noted the main focus of this whole process has been cost reduction with only secondary consideration for the impact on people. “We want to see a major commitment to the development of a labour adjustment strategy. We were pleased to learn that a preliminary review of the human resources impact has been done but this review is no substitute for a comprehensive labour adjustment strategy.”

“It must not be forgotten that these initiatives are being undertaken when there will soon be two consecutive years of overall funding cutbacks to the DHAs and the IWK. We are also troubled by other various cost-saving and potential contracting-out initiatives now being considered at the DHA level. The impact for patients, families and health care workers must be front and centre.”

The NSGEU/NUPGE represents approximately 12,000 health care workers in the nine
District Health Authorities and the IWK including health care providers, maintenance and engineering staff, and administrative professionals.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE