MDs renew call for arbitration in N.L.

Top officials at the provincial doctors association want to give up the right to strike in exchange for the right to have binding arbitration resolve contract disputes.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Associationhas rehashed the idea, which it's brought up several times over the last few months,in a recent letterto CBC News.

Medical association president Dr. Pat O'Sheasaid physicians hate the idea of going on strike.

"It's difficult for us to do. It hurts our patients. We are in medicine to help people," he said.

Doctorsdislike taking job action so much that they are willing to give up the right to strike ifthey can beguaranteed binding arbitration instead.

O'Shea suggested doctors should be deemed an essential service, like firefighters and police. Those groups can't go on strike, but their contract disputes are automatically resolved with binding arbitration.

"That would stop us from ever having to face this prospect of job action in the future."

Finance Minister Tom Marshall was unavailable to speak with CBC News on Friday, but government officials have rejected doctors' calls for binding arbitration in the past.

A two-week strike by doctors in 2002 was resolved with binding arbitration. That time the arbitrators gave physicians millions more in total funding than the government was offering.