New Brunswick’s premier says his government will stand its ground on the nursing home dispute — even if it means going to an election.
Blaine Higgs made the comments during question period in the legislature Friday.
On Thursday, MLAs voted in favour of a Liberal motion urging government to send the dispute to binding arbitration.
Higgs defended his government’s decision not to seek binding arbitration without having some conditions applied.
“They want to be treated fairly, they want to be part of a solution, and I want to work with them to be that solution, Mr. Speaker,” said Higgs. “But you know what? If it means going to an election, we will do just that, Mr. Speaker, because we will stand our ground.”
Higgs was also questioned by the Opposition leader over full-page ads in the newspapers Friday about the government’s offers.
“Mr. Speaker, informing the public of the decision that they’re going to pay for, I think, is one of our responsibilities, and that’s exactly what that’s about,” he said. “That’s saying that if we agree to this, the potential is that $7,000 more per-bed, per-patient in a nursing home are going to be the cost incurred.”
Workers are being offered a four per cent wage hike over four years. The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions is seeking a 20 per cent increase over the same period.
The two sides returned to the table on May 8 but negotiations were once again put on hold May 14.
