The nine authorities and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax announced Wednesday that they would table a "common set of proposals" for the 50 collective agreements among them this year.

Following a cabinet meeting in Halifax, Dexter said it was a move that made sense given the province and the health districts are trying to contain the costs of running the health system.

Dexter warned that another contract like the 5.1 per cent increase awarded to nurses at Capital Health would add substantial cost to the system.

"That would be one-and-a-half times the entire increase in the health care budget that we receive from the federal government. We receive about $30-million . . . from Ottawa," said Dexter.

In a news release issued Wednesday the health districts estimated the cost would run in excess of $42 million.

Deputy premier Frank Corbett, who is Treasury Board chairman, said the health districts have not been told what to offer unions, but realize it has to be done within budgets that have been trimmed by three per cent.

"Whether it's wages or whether it's goods and services it's all a part of that package, so it's a constraint of some sort but they know what they have to do to get there (settlements)."

Corbett said districts wouldn't need the permission of the health minister to make any contract offer.

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