Provincewide rallies as long-term care workers prepare to go on strike.
CUPE workers have been without a contract since 2023, and plan to be on the picket lines Monday at 21 care homes.
In Yarmouth, dozens from ‘The Meadows’ and ‘Villa St. Joseph-du-Lac’ rallied outside MLA Nick Hilton’s office on Main Street Friday.
The union is asking for a five dollar flat rate increase, on top of economic adjustments.
Greg Williams is the head of CUPE workers at ‘The Meadows’, and says the province needs to come back to the bargaining table.
“We haven’t bargained yet, it’s a take it or leave it style so far. We need to have a meaningful conversation, or else we’ll be out on the street. Residents won’t have the essential care that they need, they’ll be reduced to, in some cases, 60 percent of the staff,” said Williams.
He says we’re in an economic crisis, as the cost of living continues to climb.
Meanwhile, Nick Hilton spoke to rally members.
He’s said he’s hopeful the bargaining process will work for everyone.
“These are the community members that I’m here to represent. I want them to feel like they’re getting a good deal at the end of the day, and we also know where we stand as a government. Hopefully together, we’ll find a resolution,” said Hilton.
We’ve reached out to Seniors and Long-Term Care minister Barbara Adams’ office for comment.
Halifax Long-Term Care workers ready for strike action
Staff at St. Vincent’s in Halifax gathered outside the care home today, joined by CUPE union representatives, calling for change. According to members, Nova Scotians remain the lowest-paid long-term care workers in Atlantic Canada.
The chair for LTC and community committee tells our newsroom that their concerns have gone unanswered by Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barb Adams.
Krista Sweeney says, “We’re tired of not being paid what we deserve, and we are tired of having to fight for what should be rightfully ours. We know that we deserve a living wage, and we know that we’re ready to make that happen. They don’t think that we’re serious. They block us on Facebook, try and block us now.”
One longtime employee, Tracy Eyslaunwhite, says after decades of service, she’s still making pennies.
“I did the math. I started off at $8.50 an hour,” Tracy explains. “37 years. I am now making $18.77 an hour that equals 27 and a half cents a year.”
During recent legislative talks, Minister Barb Adams said she doesn’t believe there is a problem and urged CUPE members to accept the current deal, noting that other unions and sectors in healthcare have already done so.
The NDP’s Minister Rod Wilson raised concerns about staff shortages impacting things like laundry and meal service, stating that the risk of infection will go up if quality of care goes down.
CUPE representative, Wanda Marriot, says, “before we can go on strike, we needed an essential service agreement so our seniors are taking care of. That’s our number one priority. We need to be respected for the work that we do. We need to be fairly paid for the work that we do. We’re basically in a recession right now, and people are finding it hard to make me ends meet. And eventually, what’s gonna happen? You’re not gonna get people coming for these jobs anymore, and then what happens to our seniors?”
Minister Adams assures that those living in LTC will be taken care of by law, even if strike action happens.
The grandson of a woman currently living at St. Vincent’s, John Hutton, showed up to support staff. He says after visiting for years he saw that, “people couldn’t get their vacations approved, and they were just burning out, and they were feeling disrespected, and the pay was not up to par for what the work they were doing.”
He adds, “Everybody gets old. Everybody wants to make sure that when we reach that end of life, not only can we receive the care we need, but the people who are providing that have a good experience. It’s all connected and important that we stand together.”
