The President of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest union would like to see the same thing happen with home care as just happened with the road ambulance system.

The rubber tire emergency transportation network was taken over by the provincial government on the weekend, now accessible only though 9-1-1 and run by NL Health Services. It will enlist the services of private enterprise to run it on a day-by-day basis.

NAPE has reached a tentative agreement involving thousands of home care workers employed by private companies, but voting will involve a couple of dozen meetings over several weeks throughout the province.

Union President Jerry Earle told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly that government should be at the bargaining table as home care is part of the health care network.

“When we deal with private companies, they’re wondering how much profit they are looking at whereas when we bargain with government, we’re not talking about profit,” said Earle.