I agree with you, Bill, that the province had no right to interfere withbthe EMS labour negotiations. As a Medavie company that is simply paid by the province, in my mind, the gov’t has no right to be at the bargaining table even peripherally. I feel that part of this backroom dealing may be political, given that the head of EMS is George MacLellan, brother of the former Liberal premier, Russell MacLellan. Did the premier attempt this to make the Liberals look powerless? Surely he was trying to gain political points with the paramedics by offering the DB plan. If he is so passionate about this thennperhaps he should consider taking paramedics into the health authorities and de-privatizing this service. After all, it seems that the government is certainly expanding the role of paramedics and the reliance on their skill sets is more in demand now than ever before.
So you would deny the young Nova Scotians suffering with diabetes and in need of and can benifit from an insulin pump, that which, the very same insurance companies you speak of were not willing to cover, and you are concerned with people dropping these insurance companies!? Why would any politician or tax paying Nova Scotian be concerned over a private corporations bottom line, that is a matter for corporate suits to figure out and it’s the responsibility of the government to provide the best care and services possible to the people within the province!
Also, how can you speak so poorly of the NDP, simply because they interjected into the labor dispute between the paramedics and the private for profit corporation EMC, when it is clearly and concisely laid out in the Trade Union Act of Nova Scotia, that any government is well within their right to intervene in any dispute between workers and employers, up to and including forcing a contract on both parties! I supose you would have them force legislation and take away their right to strike instead, as this might be more esthetically pleasing to the corporate interests involved in this dispute!
What you have failed to understand and elaborate on in this dispute is the fact that the paramedics are the ones doing the ground work that see’s reductions in hospitals waits and stays, avoiding transports to ER’s altogether, through enhanced, advanced and expanded scopes and skill’s and roles paramedics are now bringing to the public, through advanced emergency care, Collaborative Emergency Care Centers, Extended Paramedic roles, community paramedic programs, etc. etc. the list goes on and on!
I’m going to give you the benefit of doubt and assume that it is because you have not been made aware of the finer details of all these things that the paramedics in Nova Scotia are now doing and I will allow you a chance to better inform yourself before I make any public statements with regards to your comments both on here and on the CBC news tonight!?
I trust you will get caught up to the present roles that paramedics play and you will then incorporate this new understanding into your future posts and media interviews on this subject!
REPLY TO DAVID:(1) I don’t care at all about the impact on insurers of the government providing insulin pumps. It is probably a good program. It is of concern that the Premier believes that Nova Scotians will still want to buy insurance for a benefit that government provides.
(2)I am not sure whether you are saying the government can prohibit a strike by paramedics without legislation. If so I can not find that in the Trade Union Act. I do find in Clause 52 of that Act provisions preventing police officers and employed firefighters from going on strike and instead having their cases resolved by arbitration. This sort of provision often applies to other first responders such as paramedics in other jurisdictions.
(3)None of what I have said in print or on television expresses a view on the value of the work that paramedics do.The comments are about the inappropriate intervention of the government in the collective bargaining process..
(4)Medavie EMS is a for profit company, fully owned by Medavie Inc, a not for profit company originally formed by special act of the NS Legislature. Its owner is the Medavie Management Foundation, also a not for profit.
Medavie Blue Cross earnings are 10 percent given to the Medavie Charitable Foundation with the balance reinvested in the business.
Bill…would it be fair to give Nova Scotia Paramedics an average of Police and Fire Salaries and all the benefits that they receive if they were to agree to a no strike clause? Paramedics across the province are frustrated as we are always playing catch up with other health and safety related professions, yet we keep expanding our role in the health system.
REPLY TO MATT: Matt thank you for the question. I do not know enough to provide an informed answer. My gut feeling is that linking compensation directly to other professions can often be inappropriate.
My article was more about how compensation should be determined rather than the end result. Police and Firefighters have been in a no strike position for some time,with arbitration if necessary. This appears to have produces good results for them.
Why bring up paramedics and make the current government look bad? If paramedics go with a DBPP, Manulife loses about 800 customers. Mr Black is the formerly the CEO of Maritime Life, which is now Manulife. Follow the money….
REPLY: John thank you for raising this question. I have absolutely no connection to Manulife,which purchased Maritime Life’s parent company nine years ago,leading to my departure. It is unfortunate that the dozens of comments on the Herald website are more interested in debating motivations than addressing the basic thesis of the article, that the government intruded inappropriately in the paramedics collective bargaining. What are your thoughts on that?
The govenment lost its grip a long time ago. The real question is, who is running the province – a place which has too little real economy? If you are inferring that the answer is the Department of Organized Labour you are close to the truth. I suppose that oneday we will elect a differing culture – perhaps a little less interested in their own entitlements. In the meantime being Organized seems a continuum.
I agree with you, Bill, that the province had no right to interfere withbthe EMS labour negotiations. As a Medavie company that is simply paid by the province, in my mind, the gov’t has no right to be at the bargaining table even peripherally. I feel that part of this backroom dealing may be political, given that the head of EMS is George MacLellan, brother of the former Liberal premier, Russell MacLellan. Did the premier attempt this to make the Liberals look powerless? Surely he was trying to gain political points with the paramedics by offering the DB plan. If he is so passionate about this thennperhaps he should consider taking paramedics into the health authorities and de-privatizing this service. After all, it seems that the government is certainly expanding the role of paramedics and the reliance on their skill sets is more in demand now than ever before.
Cecile | July 4, 2013 |
So you would deny the young Nova Scotians suffering with diabetes and in need of and can benifit from an insulin pump, that which, the very same insurance companies you speak of were not willing to cover, and you are concerned with people dropping these insurance companies!? Why would any politician or tax paying Nova Scotian be concerned over a private corporations bottom line, that is a matter for corporate suits to figure out and it’s the responsibility of the government to provide the best care and services possible to the people within the province!
Also, how can you speak so poorly of the NDP, simply because they interjected into the labor dispute between the paramedics and the private for profit corporation EMC, when it is clearly and concisely laid out in the Trade Union Act of Nova Scotia, that any government is well within their right to intervene in any dispute between workers and employers, up to and including forcing a contract on both parties! I supose you would have them force legislation and take away their right to strike instead, as this might be more esthetically pleasing to the corporate interests involved in this dispute!
What you have failed to understand and elaborate on in this dispute is the fact that the paramedics are the ones doing the ground work that see’s reductions in hospitals waits and stays, avoiding transports to ER’s altogether, through enhanced, advanced and expanded scopes and skill’s and roles paramedics are now bringing to the public, through advanced emergency care, Collaborative Emergency Care Centers, Extended Paramedic roles, community paramedic programs, etc. etc. the list goes on and on!
I’m going to give you the benefit of doubt and assume that it is because you have not been made aware of the finer details of all these things that the paramedics in Nova Scotia are now doing and I will allow you a chance to better inform yourself before I make any public statements with regards to your comments both on here and on the CBC news tonight!?
I trust you will get caught up to the present roles that paramedics play and you will then incorporate this new understanding into your future posts and media interviews on this subject!
David | July 2, 2013 |
REPLY TO DAVID:(1) I don’t care at all about the impact on insurers of the government providing insulin pumps. It is probably a good program. It is of concern that the Premier believes that Nova Scotians will still want to buy insurance for a benefit that government provides.
(2)I am not sure whether you are saying the government can prohibit a strike by paramedics without legislation. If so I can not find that in the Trade Union Act. I do find in Clause 52 of that Act provisions preventing police officers and employed firefighters from going on strike and instead having their cases resolved by arbitration. This sort of provision often applies to other first responders such as paramedics in other jurisdictions.
(3)None of what I have said in print or on television expresses a view on the value of the work that paramedics do.The comments are about the inappropriate intervention of the government in the collective bargaining process..
(4)Medavie EMS is a for profit company, fully owned by Medavie Inc, a not for profit company originally formed by special act of the NS Legislature. Its owner is the Medavie Management Foundation, also a not for profit.
Medavie Blue Cross earnings are 10 percent given to the Medavie Charitable Foundation with the balance reinvested in the business.
Bill Black
Bill | July 2, 2013 |
Bill…would it be fair to give Nova Scotia Paramedics an average of Police and Fire Salaries and all the benefits that they receive if they were to agree to a no strike clause? Paramedics across the province are frustrated as we are always playing catch up with other health and safety related professions, yet we keep expanding our role in the health system.
Matt Vaughan | June 30, 2013 |
REPLY TO MATT: Matt thank you for the question. I do not know enough to provide an informed answer. My gut feeling is that linking compensation directly to other professions can often be inappropriate.
My article was more about how compensation should be determined rather than the end result. Police and Firefighters have been in a no strike position for some time,with arbitration if necessary. This appears to have produces good results for them.
Bill Black
Bill | July 1, 2013 |
Why bring up paramedics and make the current government look bad? If paramedics go with a DBPP, Manulife loses about 800 customers. Mr Black is the formerly the CEO of Maritime Life, which is now Manulife. Follow the money….
John Bignell | June 30, 2013 |
REPLY: John thank you for raising this question. I have absolutely no connection to Manulife,which purchased Maritime Life’s parent company nine years ago,leading to my departure. It is unfortunate that the dozens of comments on the Herald website are more interested in debating motivations than addressing the basic thesis of the article, that the government intruded inappropriately in the paramedics collective bargaining. What are your thoughts on that?
Bill Black
Bill | June 30, 2013 |
The govenment lost its grip a long time ago. The real question is, who is running the province – a place which has too little real economy? If you are inferring that the answer is the Department of Organized Labour you are close to the truth. I suppose that oneday we will elect a differing culture – perhaps a little less interested in their own entitlements. In the meantime being Organized seems a continuum.
gordon a.... | June 29, 2013 |
So the provincial government should take away the paramedic’s right to strike, but otherwise stay uninvolved?
Does this not seem a little lopsided to you? What incentive would EMC have to even negotiate?
Doug Allen | June 28, 2013 |
They would be uninvolved as department of health. They would appopint a (hopefully unbiased) arbitrator as they do for fire and police.
Bill B
Bill | June 29, 2013 |