HALIFAX – An arbitrator has ruled that Nova Scotia can reduce the number of bargaining units that represent workers in the health care sector from 50 to four.
But James Dorsey has postponed a decision on which union will represent those workers.
MORE: Read the full decision document online
Under legislation passed in the fall, there will be separate unions for nurses, health care workers, clerical workers and support staff.
Some of the unions had argued the proposed structure was unconstitutional because it denied freedom of association provisions of the charter, but Dorsey rejected those arguments.
The Health Authorities Act also merges the number of health districts from 10 to two by April 1 and also creates an arbitration process to reduce the number of bargaining units for about 24,000 health workers from 50 to four.
Health Minister Leo Glavine says he believes Dorsey’s decision supports the government’s goal of streamlining labour negotiations in the health sector.
Dorsey says he will resume hearings on Feb. 2 on the remaining issue of which union will represent each of the four bargaining units.
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