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A coalition of unions representing some 32,000 health care workers in Nova Scotia has been formed to fight the MacDonald government’s attempt to strip the right to strike from all of health care.

CUPE Nova Scotia President Danny Cavanagh joined with leaders from the other unions – NSGEU (Government Employees Union), NSNU (Nurses Union), CAW and SEIU in announcing the formation of the group.

Says Cavanagh, “What is clear is that the Tories are looking for an issue to build public support and now they are pitting the workers in the health care sector against the government. Our union and its members in the sector are very troubled by this threat by the premier.

This is a diversionary tactic on the part of Rodney MacDonald to try and cover up his mismanagement of the health system by attacking the very people that are working so hard to hold things together.

I believe that once we clearly demonstrate to Nova Scotians how few person hours have actually been lost to strikes in this sector in the last 25 years, that they will come to the same conclusion,” he says. “Emergency room closures over the last number of years have caused more disruption to health care services than any work stoppages have, along with the lack of health care professionals,” says Cavanagh. “Fix those problems, Mr. Premier. There is no ‘strike’ problem to fix,” he says.