News brief: Nova Scotia’s health care workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new collective agreement that includes annual wage increases into 2023 and contract language improvements. When the Statistics Canada estimated inflation rates over the period are taken into account most workers will be marginally less well off at the end of the contract.
The city of Halifax is telling people living in crisis shelters to leave their temporary homes by June 13, or they will call the cops and make it so. Councillors should stop hiding behind an amorphous city and become accountable for the city’s actions.
We protest, we write letters to members of parliament, we picket, but often we don’t really think it’s going to change things in a real sense. Well, think again, activism was a major force behind the demise of Goldboro LNG.
“Palestine is not just a trend. As Palestine disappears from the news on your phone, Palestine doesn’t disappear. As we speak Israeli settlers are attacking Palestinians, raiding their houses, vandalizing their properties, destroying their graves.” I went to Saturday’s well-attended pro-Palestine rally in Halifax.
Persistent rumors that the city is about to expel unhoused people from the 13 shelters provided by Halifax Mutual Aid have now been confirmed by city staff. Councillors seem to think that’s not a problem.
Rent control and the provincial paid sick leave program both have built-in end dates and are likely to end fairly soon., says Gary Burrill, the leader of the provincial NDP. The Liberals never wanted these programs in the first place, says Burrill.
Maine, Nova Scotia’s southern neighbour, is set to ban the aerial spraying of herbicides such as glyphosate.
Media release: A continued lockdown for LTC residents while everyone else can enjoy increasing freedoms is not only inhumane, but also against their human rights. Preventing Elders from having visits is a form of elder abuse.
There’s a very nice little book out about the coal miners’ (and steel workers’) fight against greedy and heartless corporations in early twentieth century Cape Breton. What’s especially great about it is that author Joanne Schwartz wrote it for kids, not the really young ones I guess, but say the 10 to 15 year olds. Nimbus, the publisher, suggests children as young as 7 may go for it.
SInce at least late February migrant justice advocates and health experts have been asking the province to implement specific measures ensure that migrants, including people without migration status, refugee claimants, international students and migrant workers, all have full access to the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting the province to pay attention continues to be an uphill battle.