FOG BLOG NB NEWS LOG: CUPE WORKERS GO ON STRIKE IN NEW BRUNSWICK:

Employees could be forced back to work if strike hurts N.B. health care, Higgs says...Talks with union representing 22,000 workers broke down earlier this week over wages......New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says his government could force employees back to work if a public-sector strike that began Friday morning hurts health care.

The state of emergency that exists because of the COVID-19 pandemic would allow the province to order employees back, Higgs told a news conference Friday afternoon.

"If the health-care system is impacted, or if the health and safety of our citizens are at risk or jeopardized in the middle of a pandemic, in the middle of an emergency order, then we could have an action directly as a result of being in an emergency order in the province," he said.

"And that would necessitate an end to the strike in those categories."

Higgs's comments came hours after thousands of members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees went on strike.

Schools stayed closed as bus drivers, custodians and maintenance workers didn't show up for work.

Workers from other union locals, which include provincial park staff, education assistants, social workers and community college employees also went on strike.