Media release: School safety protocols across the province need to be evaluated and enhanced immediately to ensure students, teachers, staff and their families are safe from highly infectious COVID-19 variants, says NSTU President Paul Wozney.
Across Canada 70% of workers have no paid sick leave. Judy Haiven points to the terrible mess in Ontario to make the case that it’s time for doctors to be seen to support paid sick days.
An open letter to Minister Zach Churchill of Health and Wellness asks that the province remove barriers that may stop migrant workers with temporary status, refugee claimants, and others with precarious legal status from accessing a COVID-19 vaccine. We speak with two of the letter’s authors. They’re not asking for much, but small changes would make a huge difference, they say.
Press release: As the Nova Scotia bubble re-opens, it is time for the provincial government to ensure that all workers receive paid time off to receive their vaccines, says Nova Scotia Federation of Labour President Danny Cavanagh.
Coverdale Courtwork Society has announced that it will no longer be able to pay for hotel rooms for criminalized women and trans individuals who are exiting jails or who face homelessness for other reasons. That makes Coverdale yet another NGO which is no longer able to provide this crucial service to the population it serves. Just two days ago we reported that economic realities and a lack of provincial support were forcing Adsum for Women and Children to make a similar decision.
Over the last three months or so Adsum for Women and Children has spent some $50,000 on hotel rooms for people needing emergency shelter. That’s something the organization can no longer sustain, at least not at the current rate, says Sheri Lecker, Adsum’s executive director.
Despite all the soundbites and nice words from Premier Rankin, he needs to show Nova Scotians that his actions will back his words if he wants to stay on as premier in the next election. The next provincial budget must show that good-paying jobs will bring stability to the economy.
In March 2020 many often-overlooked truths abruptly entered into our lives; the one made abundantly clear was that we are in this together. We must support each other as we learn how to improve the conditions conducive to our collective wellbeing.
Local organizations that advocate for migrants are worried that undocumented residents will miss out on vaccination in Nova Scotia. “We have heard that the vaccine roll out is going to be done through MSI. And this would exclude undocumented people, and others who don’t have access to MSI, people who might fall through the cracks as a result of this,” says Stacey Gomez, a spokesperson for No One Is Illegal Halifax / Kjipuktuk.
Migrant workers in Canada have suffered tremendously during COVID-19. Throughout the past year, migrant workers across the country rallied and demanded permanent status for all as the solution to their exploitation.