News Release Archive
HEALTH/HUMAN RESOURCES--HEALTH CARE WORKERS STRATEGY
------------------------------------------------------------
The Nova Scotia government announced today it has committed
$20.3 million to fund a province-wide labour adjustment
strategy to ease the transition for workers affected by
reduction in jobs at Nova Scotia's hospitals.
The strategy was developed by a Joint Labour Management
Council on health care transition after months of meetings
and negotiations. The provincial government has officially
endorsed the program and will provide the necessary funding.
The strategy provides options to employees in the health
care sector, and union members across the province will have
the opportunity to decide, in a ratification process,
whether they want to participate in the plan.
Among its innovative features is an early departure
incentive for unionized employees. The incentive provides
eligible employees, who choose to resign, with a minimum of
eight weeks and a maximum of 52 weeks severance pay based on
their years of service. A retraining and relocation
allowance to a maximum of $5,000 will help those employees
retrain for other jobs or find work in other communities.
The strategy expands the Nova Scotia Association of Health
Organization's early retirement incentive program, opening a
new window of opportunity for employees who have previously
turned down early retirement. In addition, employees 60
years of age with 10 years experience will receive up to two
years pension credit to retire early. The qualifying age for
early retirement without penalty has been reduced by five
years to 50 for workers whose age and years of service
equals 80.
The strategy will help hospitals and health care workers
make the transition to a new health care system, Health
Minister Ron Stewart said today at a news conference
announcing the program.
"This strategy itself was developed by the health care
community and reflects their knowledge and understanding of
the changes taking place in the health care system," says
Dr. Stewart.
Human Resources Minister Jay Abbass praised the work and the
good will of the joint council in developing this innovative
strategy.
"This plan was built by people who know the health care
system, they know the hospitals and they know health
workers' concerns. It builds in options and choices. That's
why as a government, we accept it, we endorse it and we're
putting money behind it," said Mr. Abbass.
Mr. Abbass said that the strategy also provides independent
financial counselling to help employees make the choices
that are right for them.
Employees who remain in the workplace will also be affected
by the changes in the health care system and to help deal
with the transition, an employee assistance program will be
established with 24-hours-a-day access.
"Most of the changes in the health care institutions will
not be immediate. The strategy gives the facilities the
ability to plan these changes and phase them in over a
number of years," said Mr. Abbass.
With today's announcement the next step in the process
begins. Labour and management representatives will explain
the program to health care administrators and workers across
the province. Unions have committed to bringing this issue
to their membership as soon as possible. If approved, some
elements of the plan will be retroactive to Sept. 1, 1995.
The plan will be in effect until March 31, 1998. Labour and
management representatives will continue to work together on
implementation committees.
The Joint Labour Management Council on Transition was
comprised of senior hospital management along with
representatives of the Canadian Auto Workers, the Canadian
Union of Public Employees, the International Union of
Operating Engineers, the Nova Scotia Government Employees
Union and the Nova Scotia Nurses Union; and representatives
from the departments of Health and Human Resources. The
Nova Scotia Association of Health Organizations helped
facilitate the council's work and provided administrative
support.
-30-
Contact: Chris Hansen 902-424-5925
Norma MacIsaac 902-424-5427
NOTE TO EDITORS: A backgrounder can be obtained by calling
902-424-4492.
trp Nov. 20, 1995
