KJIPUKTUK, HALIFAX - Here is part of what Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine told reporters yesterday. The media scrum occurred shortly after arbitrator James Dorsey issued an order that assigned the Clerical Bargaining Unit to the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU).
Reporter: Will NSGEU be representing clerical workers starting April 1st?
Glavine: Well, you know, that's a possibility but we haven't made that determination. You know that was, you know, one of the areas where I think they have a majority of workers just like the NSNU has the majority of nurses in the province.
Reporter: You just said is a possibility that the NSGEU could represent clerical, but you said last Friday that you would respect Dorsey's order giving them health-care and you said that you are not going to give any union more than one bargaining unit. So how is it possible that NSGEU could represent clerical?
Glavine: Look, we decided that we would put everything out there. The Dorsey report was so inconclusive that we're almost unfortunately at a restart on this whole area, so you know we are going to take that whole area and make a final decision.
Reporter: So the things you've said about assigning health-care last week, we discount that. Is that right?
Glavine: Well you know that is when we first looked at the report. That's where the alignment seemed pretty strong, to be. Now he's saying that you know clerical as well, this is just coming at us you know now, with another version which we wont be accepting, but we will put the representation out there to be evaluated.
Reporter: When we last left you on Friday the legislation would be needed to assign the four bargaining units in legislation. You clearly indicated that may in fact not be the case today and you said that a cabinet order could in fact...
Glavine: I was told that is one of those possibilities. On Friday I said look, and to Mike yesterday, that there were many things yet to be discussed . You know, the premier has not sat down to take a look at this whole issue and I have to have you know that conversation as well as cabinet colleagues as we go forward. We're going to put it all out there again on the table because we had no final report. That's the knob and the essence. Unfortunately where we are caught at the moment.
Reporter: So everything is back on the table?
Glavine: Everything is back on the table.
Reporter: Including health-care? The NSGEU had health-care. You said you were going to respect Dorsey's decision.
Glavine: Well, you know, health care is looking pretty much to be there, that was delivered on Friday.
Reporter: I am sorry, I know you guys want him to go, but we're hearing a lot of conflicting things here, and last Friday you said that it's not a final report you weren't even going to call it a decision but you will respect the five orders that were there, the bargaining units and the time and yada yada yada and NSGEU getting health-care. Are you today saying you may no longer respect that specific order?
Glavine: No, I think it is part of that whole discussion piece however that we would now take , but you know I think that is pretty...
Reporter: We need to be able to report this. I don't know what I am going to say. Is the NSGEU getting health-care?
Glavine: Health-care. If they have that majority. Remember...
Reporter: The order says they do.
Glavine: Yes.
Reporter: The order says they have the double majority for health-care.
Glavine: Yes, but they had to add members.
Reporter: No, that was clerical.
Glavine: Clerical was the one they had to add members. Okay. Sorry yes. So they get health-care. Yes. Three other groups remain to be assigned.
Transcribed from a CBC Radio recording.
See also: Dorsey issues orders while government says he's fired
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