Halifax nurses poised to strike as essential services law pushed through

Scroll to the bottom of the page, to see the live blog archive from the NSGEU nurses wildcat strike.

HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government introduced essential services legislation last night with time ticking down to a strike by 24-hundred nurses in the Halifax area.

Premier Stephen McNeil says the government’s move was necessary after the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union filed strike notice for Thursday.

READ MORE: Halifax nurses refusing to show up for work

The Essential Health and Community Services Act would require unions and employers throughout the health-care sector to have an essential services agreement in place before job action can occur.

If there’s no agreement, an independent third party decides.

Labour Minister Kelly Regan says Nova Scotia is the only province without this kind of legislation.

In all, about 35-thousand to 40-thousand workers would be covered by the law.

Union president Joan Jessome says the Liberal government has angered health-care workers with the legislation.

The union has previously said it would defy legislation that curtails the right to strike.