One only has to look at the push back taking place now with the 50 branches of health assn’s to see why we are broke! I truly believe this is how the Boston tea party gained traction. Whether we realize it not, this is just a different type to taxation, disguised as a union right. . Enough is enough, really! Health care costs are out of control and has finally tipped the scales toward sanity.
I completely agree with this article. It would also be nice for the political class to lead by example and reduce their retirement benefits. Additionally if an MLA is convinced of a crime while in office they are immediately removed and they loose their public pension – no exceptions. If they took these measures the public would have a lot more appetite for when they ask public workers to reduce their benefits.
At that point perhaps we could tackle the unfunded teachers pension issue…
Just wanted pass on my thanks for hitting the nail on the head in your article in today’s Herald regarding merging the health system.The crux of the matter is cost and diminishing revenues and the unions seem to be acting if nothing is wrong with the provinces finances.I find this reprehensible and negligent on the part of union leadership as they’re driving our province towards bankruptcy.
We need strong political leadership now to meet the unions head on. I believe what the Minister of Health said initially before changing his tune is bang on. The unions contracts need to be drastically reduced in number along with their Cadillac benefit plans and pensions.The govt has to have the moral fortitude to stand up to them and tell them in no uncertain terms this is the way it has to be for the good of Nova Scotia. If they don’t the Liberals and Nova Scotians are going to find the time very long and painful until the next election.
Also the government should reverse the stupidity of the ban on fracking. We need all the economic opportunity we can get. Remember , the difference between fracking in the west and the east is prosperity.The divide is getting bigger and bigger and transfer payments aren’t going to be around much longer.The writing is on the wall. We need to take hold of ourselves and start moving ahead rather than going backwards all the time.
I woke up to the delivery of my copy of the Chronicle Herald today at the front door…. yes, I still like to read a “real” newspaper in the morning. My paper delivery person always seems to be able to create enough noise at 0600 hours.
I had one problem today…. the paper was glowing on all four sides when I went to get it from between the main and screen door! I carefully opened the paper and realized the glow was coming form your article concerning Hospital Board amalgamation and logical corresponding realignment of union representation.
I particularly enjoyed the dig concerning lowering membership fees for unionized workers through simplification.
Sad to say but for quite a long time now,it has seemed to me that the leadership of the Public Service Unions has done a much better job of representing and improving the interests of those whom they are paid to represent than has the Political Leadership that the citizens of this province are paying dearly for!
I never realized the lunacy that was in place when it came to union representation in government. Makes you wonder how much stupidity we are paying for. At budget time we are told there is nothing else to cut and taxes will have to be increased. But this example clearly shows there is opportunity. The government needs to be congratulated for pressing forward.
The jury will be out for some time to come as to whether taxpayers benefit or not. There is a long way to go to get rid of our operational deficit and back off the sales tax increase our NDP friends lied to us about. We have to start somewhere; let’s hope this is this starting point we desperately need.
It would have been a better campaign promise to improve heathcare, something, incidentally, which is not just a Nova Scotia challenge. Whether merger will be an improvement or not remains to be seen – but not unlike the Metro bus strike a year or so ago – it’s pretty obvious that the tail is wagging the dog. For heathcare management to be in constant adversarial commotion, it is not hard to see that less and less of what they are designed to do gets done properly.
If Heathcare were confident they would appeal for more of what should be clear are ‘lost’ management rights. The uncooperative and sedicious conduct of labour-culture, which is all held to be democratically legal, is about as democratic as the collective’s numbers vs the population of the province (not what the law provides- someting like a majority of the bargaining votes. It is said that the law is sometimes an ass. I wonder?)
The good news is that the majority are coming around to seeing the premiers logic.
One only has to look at the push back taking place now with the 50 branches of health assn’s to see why we are broke! I truly believe this is how the Boston tea party gained traction. Whether we realize it not, this is just a different type to taxation, disguised as a union right. . Enough is enough, really! Health care costs are out of control and has finally tipped the scales toward sanity.
Don | October 2, 2014 |
I completely agree with this article. It would also be nice for the political class to lead by example and reduce their retirement benefits. Additionally if an MLA is convinced of a crime while in office they are immediately removed and they loose their public pension – no exceptions. If they took these measures the public would have a lot more appetite for when they ask public workers to reduce their benefits.
At that point perhaps we could tackle the unfunded teachers pension issue…
George Hornmoen | October 1, 2014 |
Just wanted pass on my thanks for hitting the nail on the head in your article in today’s Herald regarding merging the health system.The crux of the matter is cost and diminishing revenues and the unions seem to be acting if nothing is wrong with the provinces finances.I find this reprehensible and negligent on the part of union leadership as they’re driving our province towards bankruptcy.
We need strong political leadership now to meet the unions head on. I believe what the Minister of Health said initially before changing his tune is bang on. The unions contracts need to be drastically reduced in number along with their Cadillac benefit plans and pensions.The govt has to have the moral fortitude to stand up to them and tell them in no uncertain terms this is the way it has to be for the good of Nova Scotia. If they don’t the Liberals and Nova Scotians are going to find the time very long and painful until the next election.
Also the government should reverse the stupidity of the ban on fracking. We need all the economic opportunity we can get. Remember , the difference between fracking in the west and the east is prosperity.The divide is getting bigger and bigger and transfer payments aren’t going to be around much longer.The writing is on the wall. We need to take hold of ourselves and start moving ahead rather than going backwards all the time.
John | September 28, 2014 |
I woke up to the delivery of my copy of the Chronicle Herald today at the front door…. yes, I still like to read a “real” newspaper in the morning. My paper delivery person always seems to be able to create enough noise at 0600 hours.
I had one problem today…. the paper was glowing on all four sides when I went to get it from between the main and screen door! I carefully opened the paper and realized the glow was coming form your article concerning Hospital Board amalgamation and logical corresponding realignment of union representation.
I particularly enjoyed the dig concerning lowering membership fees for unionized workers through simplification.
David | September 28, 2014 |
Sad to say but for quite a long time now,it has seemed to me that the leadership of the Public Service Unions has done a much better job of representing and improving the interests of those whom they are paid to represent than has the Political Leadership that the citizens of this province are paying dearly for!
bob mackenzie | September 27, 2014 |
Agree. It is wrong to blame the unions for the weak performance by politicians.
Bill | September 27, 2014 |
I never realized the lunacy that was in place when it came to union representation in government. Makes you wonder how much stupidity we are paying for. At budget time we are told there is nothing else to cut and taxes will have to be increased. But this example clearly shows there is opportunity. The government needs to be congratulated for pressing forward.
The jury will be out for some time to come as to whether taxpayers benefit or not. There is a long way to go to get rid of our operational deficit and back off the sales tax increase our NDP friends lied to us about. We have to start somewhere; let’s hope this is this starting point we desperately need.
Barry H | September 26, 2014 |
It would have been a better campaign promise to improve heathcare, something, incidentally, which is not just a Nova Scotia challenge. Whether merger will be an improvement or not remains to be seen – but not unlike the Metro bus strike a year or so ago – it’s pretty obvious that the tail is wagging the dog. For heathcare management to be in constant adversarial commotion, it is not hard to see that less and less of what they are designed to do gets done properly.
If Heathcare were confident they would appeal for more of what should be clear are ‘lost’ management rights. The uncooperative and sedicious conduct of labour-culture, which is all held to be democratically legal, is about as democratic as the collective’s numbers vs the population of the province (not what the law provides- someting like a majority of the bargaining votes. It is said that the law is sometimes an ass. I wonder?)
The good news is that the majority are coming around to seeing the premiers logic.
Gordon a.... | September 26, 2014 |