Changes are coming to the provincial act which governs essential services in New Brunswick nursing homes.
The changes are meant to address a labour board decision which found part of the act was unconstitutional.
A judge upheld the ruling earlier this year, giving the province until Jan. 2, 2020, to fix it.
The changes include a definition of essential services and add binding arbitration to the process.
They also include conditions an arbitrator must consider, including the province’s ability to pay.
Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard says the changes will help protect nursing home residents while being fair to nursing home workers with respect to their ability to strike.
