Nursing home jobs designated 'essential'
Published Wednesday April 1st, 2009
Essential services would be kept in place in event of job action
FREDERICTON - The Liberal government introduced legislation yesterday which would designate essential services at 49 of the province's 62 nursing homes, meaning only certain staff could strike in the event of job action.
Social Development Minister Mary Schryer, said the legislation doesn't undermine the union bargaining process.
"This legislation is meant for protection," she said. "I want to make sure the seniors of New Brunswick that are living in nursing homes are protected should there be a job shortage or job action."
Schryer said the legislation had been in progress for more than a year but admitted that its introduction was timely, coming one day after the Council of Nursing Home Unions filed a complaint with the Labour and Employment Board accusing the government of interfering in the collective bargaining process.
The complaint also accused the Nursing Home Association of bad-faith bargaining and not honouring a collective agreement.
The union and the association reached a four-year tentative agreement on March 12, but later that day the government told public-sector unions they would have to agree to a two-year wage freeze.
Gordon Black of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said the government was treating private sector employees like they were working in the public sector with such legislation.
"If you're going to treat them as public sector workers with those rules of essential services, talk to us about it, we can work it out," he said. "But when you sneak stuff like this in, it's terrible."
Black said the union hasn't been threatening strike action and is eager to negotiate a deal.
The designation of essential services with this legislation would apply to 49 of the province's total nursing homes, as eight of the homes have non-unionized employees and five already have essential service designations as they fall are under Part III of public service.
Schryer said the designation of what exactly constitutes "essential" services would be determined by each of those 49 nursing homes.
Philippa Gourley, chairwoman of the Family Advocacy Group at York Care Centre in Fredericton, said this legislation puts to rest what she called an underlying "fear" for many family members of nursing home residents. Gourley said she had been working for three years to see such legislation introduced.
Opposition leader David Alward wouldn't say yesterday whether the Tory caucus would support or fight the legislation. The party was planning to meet with union leaders late yesterday.
Affected homes
These homes include:
* Dalhousie Nursing Home Inc./Foyer de Soins de Dalhousie Inc.
* Mount St. Josephs of Chatham
* Miramichi Senior Citizens Home Inc.
* Villa Providence Shédiac Inc.
* Villa Beauséjour Inc.
* Les Résidences Mgr. Chiasson Inc.
* Victoria Glen Manor Inc.
* Le Foyer Saint-Joseph De Saint-Basile Inc.
* York Manor Inc.
* Le Foyer Notre-Dame De Lourdes Inc.
* Carleton Manor Inc.
* Rocmaura Inc.
* The Kenneth E. Spencer Memorial Home Inc.
* Passamaquoddy Lodge Inc.
* Grand Manan Nursing Home Inc.
* Villa du Repos Inc.
* Les Résidences Lucien Saindon Inc.
* The Church of St. John and St. Stephen Home Inc.
* Central New Brunswick Nursing Home Inc.
* Campbellton Nursing Home Inc.
* Villa Des-Jardins Inc.
* Kiwanis Nursing Home Inc.
* Campobello Lodge Inc.
* Mill Cove Nursing Home Inc.
* Forest Dale Home Inc.
* The Salvation Army Lakeview Manor
* Foyer Ste-Elizabeth Inc.
* Grand Falls Manor Inc. – Manoir Grand Sault Inc.
* Résidence Mgr. Melanson Inc.
* La Villa Sormany Inc.
* Lincourt Manor Inc.
* Le Foyer Saint-Thomas De La Vallée De Memramcook, Inc.
* Les Résidences Inkerman Inc.
* The United Church Home For Senior Citizens, Inc.
* Kennebec Manor Inc.
* Jordan Lifecare Centre Inc.
* Villa Saint-Joseph Inc.
* Turnbull Nursing Home Inc.
* River View Manor Inc.
* Villa Maria Inc.
* La Société D’Habitation De Rogersville Inc.
* Westford Health Nursing Care Inc.
* Dr. V.A. Snow Centre Inc.
* Foyer Notre-Dame de Saint-Léonard Inc.
* Tabusintac Nursing Home Inc.
* Tobique Valley Manor Inc.
* Carleton Kirk Lodge
* Loch Lomond Villa Inc.
* Robert L. Knowles Veterans Unit.
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