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Health district merger bill coming Monday, will include bargaining changes

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s health minister says the government’s bill to reduce the number of health districts from 10 to two and streamline bargaining with health unions will be introduced Monday.

Leo Glavine says the legislation will dramatically reduce the number of labour bargaining units representing health workers.

Glavine says after negotiations with health unions failed, the government has decided to impose a framework that will identify which unions will represent nurses, technologists, administrative and support workers.

Nova Scotia health minister Leo Glavine talks to reporters on Sept. 25, 2014. Marieke Walsh/Global News

He says the bill will also allow a mediator to iron out existing contractual differences across 50 bargaining units.

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Glavine wouldn’t give an exact figure but estimates the savings that would result from the legislation could be $1 million or more next year.

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He says most of the savings will come from cutting the number of CEOs and vice-presidents currently running the district health authorities.

WATCH: So now we know when this merger process will start… the big question is ‘will it work’? Global’s Erin Trafford reports.

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