Nova Scotia long-term care workers at 24 nursing homes are on strike after years of failed negotiations with the province.
Hundreds of care workers walked off the job this morning, following rallies across the province last week. CUPE President Alan Linkletter says fair wages and staffing shortages are core issues.
“In this day and age, the package that was offered, it’s not acceptable,” Linkletter explains. “It doesn’t provide a living wage for the people of Nova Scotia, and we’d hope they do better. So, let’s hope in the next couple days that they do.”
Linkletter adds that chronic understaffing demands action.
“The fact that the sector is so short-staffed. We may create lots of new beds, but we have to have the workers to fill it, and recruitment and retention is a big issue, and it needs to be addressed, and this is the way we do it.”
Union reps say more care homes are expected to join soon, while Minister Barb Adams calls the offer fair—accepted in acute care and including equal wages. Adams says she’s sad it has come to this, encourages CUPE to inform members and vote, and confirms essential services continue for seniors during the strike.
Meanwhile, workers from a pair of nursing homes in Yarmouth began the strike in the rain Monday morning.
LPN Marla Nickerson was outside the Villa St. Joseph-du-Lac in Dayton.
She says it’s unfortunate it’s come to this.
“We have people inside that facility that need us. That’s where we want to be. But it comes to a point where we have to stand up.”
Nickerson says support staff would be left behind with the current proposal from the government.
At ‘The Meadows’ in Yarmouth, CUPE lead Greg Williams says it’s shameful on the Houston government.
“We have managers in the facilities now assisting with daily operations for the residents. It’s not a good situation for residents or workers.”
Williams says they’ll be on strike until they get a fair deal.
He’s calling on the province to step up and get back to the table with CUPE.
Meanwhile, the province pleaded with CUPE to let members vote on the deal before the strike.
Barb Adams, the Minister of Seniors, wrote an op-ed on Sunday, pleading for union leaders to let members vote on the offer.
She says other long-term care unions accepted the same deal.
