Union, Health Department headed to arbitration

Conciliation talks between the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 942, and the Department of Health have broken down and since health-care employees do not have the right to strike, the union and the department will now be heading to binding arbitration.
The union was negotiating a new collective agreement on behalf of its 800-plus members which include professional, technical and clerical/administrative staff within health care.
Union local president Tammy Chaisson said that a large number of issues affecting all members are still outstanding.
Chaisson said the union is disappointed in the manner that the department conducted itself
during this round of bargaining.
"We already filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Labour Relations Board after learning that the Department of Health had negotiated a private deal with two of our members while we were attempting to resolve the very same recruitment issue at the negotiating table."
She added the private arrangement has caused a great deal of frustration for other members across the Island, some of whom are already talking about going elsewhere.
She said there are serious retention, recruitment and shortage issues within a number of classifications such as physiotherapist, occupational therapist, combined technician, laboratory and radiation technologist, health records technician.
"They are having a huge impact on patient services," said Chaisson.
"The closure of the emergency room at Kings County Memorial Hospital and the lack of physiotherapy services in West Prince are direct results of such shortages."
The Department of Health offered a one-year contract, explaining that government had not completed a review of its wage policy for the next two years.