Danny Cavanagh: Economic recovery cannot mean listening to the same old voices. These voices led us to an economy with a widening income and gender gap, heightening rates of poverty and homelessness, increasing violence and inequality, poorly underfunded and inadequate public and social services.
Migrant workers employed by the Balamore Farm in Great Village, Nova Scotia, say that they are owed wages and that they were forced to lie when government inspectors followed up with a pre-announced visit after a complaint was lodged.
Press release: Migrant Food and Farmworker organizations in British Columbia, PEI, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec are responding to today’s announcement by the federal government of another $59 million dollars directed to the agri-food industry and government by reiterating our call for full and permanent immigration status for all.
Judy Haiven explains how most workers are out of luck on Natal Day, and why Nova Scotia is at the bottom of the pile in terms of statutory holidays.
Media release; Due to the secretive nature of the Northwood review, NSGEU President Jason MacLean has decided to not take part in the in the process.
News release: Close to 4,000 nurses across Nova Scotia say they’re tired of waiting for government and their employers to implement a pay increase they are owed.
Stacey Gomez, Asaf Rashid, Jessica Tellez and Wanda Thomas explain how racist immigration policies keep migrant workers temporary. “In Nova Scotia, approximately 2000 migrant workers arrive each year through Temporary Foreign Worker Programs, to plant and harvest crops, and to process our agriculture, as well as seafood products. Abuse of migrant workers is rampant in Nova Scotia and across Canada. The recently released report Unheeded Warnings includes accounts from migrant workers in Nova Scotia about being coerced into speaking positively of their employers during a government inspection under threat of deportation. Other workers report having racist slurs used against them when they spoke out about poor conditions. We’ve also received reports of migrant workers being unlawfully prevented from leaving Nova Scotia farms.”
Provincial governments everywhere, including Nova Scota, have introduced legislation that removes workers’ rights to collective bargaining. Not one of these union-busting laws will likely survive a Charter challenge. But that’s not the point, writes Larry Haiven.
NSFL President Danny Cavanagh is pleased with the announcement that the federal, provincial and territorial governments have reached a deal on federal funding of $19 billion through the “Safe Restart Agreement.” “It’s still short on details, but it looks promising for things like ten paid days of sick leave, and we hope the Minister of Labour and the Nova Scotia Government jump on board.
The government’s proposed review of 53 Northwood deaths is designed to prevent workers, patients and their families, and Nova Scotians at large from speaking out and being heard publicly