Residents of Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, a few Chinese provinces, and Zambia have paid menstrual leave. Recently Nova Scotia removed taxes on tampons and pads, with much public approval. Paid menstrual leave is the next logical step.
Danny Cavanagh: Workers do not need the added stress of getting a sick note, often they need to pay for that, and many workers do not even have a doctor and face the added burden of losing their job if they don’t get a note. Have you heard there is a doctor shortage in our province?
Letter: “Canada Post already has the infrastructure and the network it needs to be an integral part of the post-COVID recovery and to become a leader in sustainable development. In doing so, it would create jobs across the country and be part of the government’s environmental plan, while also respecting its mandate to be financially self-sustaining.”
Danny Cavanagh: “This shutting down of the house of assembly by the Liberals gave them essentially paid sick leave or a holiday in the pandemic’s name. Meanwhile, since March of last year, front line workers have been continually told to stay home if you’re sick, all without any offer of paid sick days provincially.”
Danny Cavanagh: “Changing workplace safety will only happen about when bosses learn “kill a worker – go to jail”. Otherwise, fines are just a slap on the wrist, viewed as the cost of doing business.”
Danny Cavanagh: “The system of long-term care in our province is, for the most part, a private for-profit system and that must end. I think it’s fair to say that the residents and staff in long-term feel neglected, based on their treatment and working conditions.”
Kendall Worth thinks about how people on income assistance with part time employment can benefit from unions and how perhaps people on income assistance could even form a union of their own.
Just before Christmas we reported on plans by the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) to farm out its health records document management to US-owned Iron Mountain. We speak with Jason MacLean, president of the NSGEU, about the many things wrong with that decision.
Danny Cavanagh on the need for decent pay. “People don’t often think about the cogs in the wheel as long as it is turning. Never much thought to the countless people behind the scenes in hospitals, nursing homes, long term care facilities – those providing home support. Every day they quietly worked along even though by doing so they put themselves in danger of getting Covid-19. We often think about the nurses, doctors and specialists, but not a lot about the cleaners, cooks, food service workers, the people keeping the buildings working, the paperwork flowing and all those behind the scenes keeping the wheels moving.”
Earlier today we reported how Equity Watch calls for major structural changes to the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission to deal with the many complaints about its fairness and timeliness that have been raised over the years. The press conference and report launch was timed to roughly coincide with the third anniversary of the apologies issued to former firefighter Liane Tessier by the NSHRC and the Halifax Fire Service. This is what Liane said at this morning’s press conference.