Media release: The union representing school support staff at all Regional Centres for Education and the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial is calling on Premier Rankin to listen to the educational support staff who do the actual work of maintaining schools and keeping students safe.
Media release: In Lunenburg County, Mexican migrant workers play an important role in planting and cultivating Christmas trees that are exported throughout the province, country and globally. In this virtual event, we will hear the story of one such migrant worker, Felix Muñoz, and his longstanding friendship with pastor Samuel Jess. They will share insights on how Nova Scotians can build bridges with migrant workers, despite the language barriers that sometimes exist.
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.
During the first wave of the pandemic, an Acadia University research team conducted a survey of three groups of essential workers in Nova Scotia — long-term care workers, retail workers and teachers. When asked if the media focused on the most important issues of their work, 69 per cent of participants responded “no” versus 31 per cent who said “yes.”
Media release: In a creative response to COVID-19 restrictions, multiple simultaneous micro-protests are happening across Nova Scotia to push the province for 10 permanent and employer-paid sick days.
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.
Media release: In January 2021, Dr. Strang indicated that migrant workers would be included in Phase 2 of the provincial COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan. This was based on the recognition that migrant workers living in congregate settings are a vulnerable population in Nova Scotia. Moreover, the province’s vaccine plan prioritizes essential workers. However, the Working Group estimates that the majority of migrant workers have not yet been able to receive their first dose of the vaccine due to a number of barriers in the province’s current vaccine plan that make it especially difficult for them to do so.
The NSTU is calling on the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Derek Mombourquette, to reconsider cuts targeted at Halifax area high schools for next year.
The good news is that the the Victoria Day weekend, is coming up. The bad news is, unless you are covered by a collective agreement at your workplace, you will not get the Monday off with pay. More bad news — if you do work that day, you earn only straight time: there is no holiday pay. Judy Haiven explains.
Media release: The Halifax Workers Action Centre (“Halifax-WAC”) says the Liberal Government’s plan to provide a reimbursement to employers for providing paid sickness leave to employees is a move in the right direction, but the plan falls far short of what Nova Scotia workers need.