Brenda Thompson: Qualifying for EI in Western Nova Scotia is strangely difficult
There is something very wrong with the way eligibility for EI is calculated, and people in rural Nova Scotia are paying the price. Brenda Thompson explains.
Labour
Heritage Day holiday – Do you get paid for the day off?
Nova Scotia Heritage Day is one of the six measly public holidays in Nova Scotia. Everyone is supposed to get Monday, Feb. 18 off work—but only some of you will be paid. Judy Haiven explains all.
The union local that fought privatization and won
All too often it’s a foregone conclusion when government decides to outsource a service. But the cleaners at CFB Greenwood and CFB Kingston, Ontario, fought back, and they won. Here is how they did it.
Media release: Rebuild long–term care in Nova Scotia with qualified staff and a minimum 4.1 hours of care
Media release: CUPE Nova Scotia is calling on the McNeil government to immediately increase funding to all publicly-funded long-term care facilities, so they reach a minimum staff funding of 4.1 hours of care per resident each day.
Letter: In Nova Scotia long term care is underpaid, undervalued, understaffed and underfunded
Letter by Nan McFadgen, president of CUPE Nova Scotia, on the continuing crisis in long term care in our province. “I am frustrated that government does not hear our voices. Recruitment and retention continue to get worse in long term care. Would you be attracted to a profession where you are underpaid, undervalued, understaffed and underfunded?”
Children at risk as Nova Scotia’s child welfare system is on the brink, union and social workers say
The NSGEU and the NS College of Social Workers are raising the alarm about the state of child welfare services in Nova Scotia. Insufficient funding and increased complexity are putting pressures on the system that cannot be sustained, they warn. Parents and children will suffer as a result, and they are calling on Nova Scotians to help put a stop to that.
Letter from Danny Cavanagh to transportation minister: Don’t use our tax money to pay US customs officers in Maine
“Minister Hines, Nova Scotia taxpayers must not be on the hook to pay for US Customs officers in Bar Harbor Maine. It is appalling that the US Customs and Border Protection services expect Bay Ferries to pay for upwards of ten additional customs agents to staff the terminal. It’s even more appalling that our Nova Scotia government would even think about footing this cost,” writes NS Federation of Labour president Danny Cavanagh. “We would also ask that you challenge both Bay Ferries and the USA Customs Services if we continue to do business with them to not put workers in danger by working in a building or buildings that may contain asbestos and PCBs.”
One year after the Liane Tessier apology, what has changed at Halifax Fire?
It’s been a year since Halifax Fire chief Ken Stuebing publicly apologized to Liane Tessier, and both Halifax Fire and the Human Rights Commission are reluctant to share what changes were made at the organization to deal with the misogyny that was so prevalent. “We’re dealing with issues that were hidden, now we are letting it out of the bag and HRM and the NS Human Rights Commission don’t like it, because now they are being held to account,” Tessier says, pointing to the work of Equity Watch, the anti-bullying organization she co-founded.”
Did you know that in Nova Scotia you can be forced to work on a holiday for straight time? Yes, you read that right.
Judy Haiven on living and working in Nova Scotia, one of the stingiest and most punitive provinces when it comes to labour standards. Exhibit # 1: Working on New Year’s day and other holidays.
End of year message from NS Federation of Labour president Danny Cavanagh
NS Federation of Labour president Danny Cavanagh reflects on gains made over the last year, and challenges ahead.