MEDIA RELEASE: Paid sick days reimbursement plan is inadequate 

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. 

“The new program is a start, but it is an inadequate response to the pressing need for paid sick days,” said Katrin MacPhee, an employment lawyer and volunteer with the Halifax-WAC. 

MacPhee says the plan is inadequate in the following ways:

• The number of days (4) is insufficient, a minimum of ten paid sick days is required to compensate workers for an entire fourteen-day self-isolation period;
• The program should be permanent, currently it is only available between May 10 and July 31 2021;
• The program’s eligibility criteria are very narrow: it is only open to people who can’t work remotely and who miss less than 50 per cent of their scheduled work time in a one-week period due to COVID-19;
• The maximum reimbursement per worker is $640 over a 12-week period, which is inadequate to compensate for workers who miss a significant amount of time due to COVID-19.

MacPhee added, “Workers need permanent access to universal, fully-paid, accessible paid sick leave. Anything short of that perpetuates the issue of workers needing to choose between making ends meet and protecting their health and the health of others.”

The Halifax-WAC is a not-for-profit committed to improving the lives and working conditions of low-waged and marginalized workers. It provides systemic advocacy through campaigns like the Fight for 15 and Fairness and one-on-one support for workers facing difficulty in their individual employment relationships. 

The post Media release: Paid sick days reimbursement plan is inadequate appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

Join us for a presentation in English / Patois on Youtube Live. Hosted by the Migrant Worker Rights Working Group. Message us on WhatsApp at 902-329-9595 if you have any questions during the presentation or for more info!

Here is the link to the Youtube event.

The post Want to know your rights as a migrant worker in Nova Scotia? appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – A spectrum of civil society and labour groups responded to the inadequacy of the 40 cent minimum wage raise today.

“It is quite fitting that this minimum wage increase is happening on April 1, because it really is a joke,” said Hailie Tattrie with the Fight for $15 & Fairness Halifax. She immediately followed up by listing the living wages calculated for Cape Breton ($16.88), Antigonish ($19.55) and Halifax ($21.80).

“Our $12.95 comes not even close to a living wage in this province. Workers in Nova Scotians deserve better; They deserve better wages; they deserve better working conditions, they deserve paid sick days; They deserve a fair wage.”

“The low wages in this province have contributed to poor health outcomes and they have created vulnerable populations,” said Chris Parsons, the provincial coordinator with the Nova Scotia Health Coalition. The Coalition has joined the call for a higher minimum wage and improved worker standards, in particular emphasizing the call for paid sick days.

“The best thing we can do for our public health system is to prevent people from getting sick in the first place. And one of the best ways to do that is to simply provide them with the resources they need, be that shelter, be that food, be that recreation opportunities, as well as just reducing the stress of trying to go through the day having your basic needs met,” explained Parsons.

“We believe that no one should live in poverty, but especially those who are working minimum wage jobs have every reason to expect that they will not be living in poverty,” said Hannah Wood from ACORN Nova Scotia, a union of low and moderate income tenants. “While we have called a lot of minimum wage service workers heroes, we are not paying them a hero’s pay.”

Woods noted the Statistics Canada figure that 32.6% of minimum wage workers in Nova Scotia are over the age 35, countering the narrative that these are jobs for high school students who do not need to support families. “As well, a disproportionate amount of minimum wage workers are women and radicalized people and Indigenous workers, and these poverty wages further intrench these communities into cycles of poverty,” Woods explained while noting that the cost of living has increased by huge margins in recent years, especially with respect to housing costs.

For Darius Mirshahi, who works as an organizer with Justice for Janitors, it is his job to reach out to many of these low wage workers.

“I speak to workers who don’t think they’ll ever get to retire, making close to minimum wage still after decades of essential front-line work as cleaners. I speak to workers often in person, because when you can’t cover all your bills, you’ll cut off your cell phone and your social connection to keep your roof and running water. I speak to workers who haven’t seen a dentist in a decade because they can barely afford to buy groceries. The rent is too damn high, the pay is too damn low, and the people are being squeezed from every direction,” Mirshahi explained.  

He applauded the fact that Nova Scotia’s Minimum Wage review committee recently expressed concerns about the demographics of minimum wage workers, suggesting that a “diversity and inclusion” lens be adopted for setting the minimum wage, but Mirshahi emphasized the need to “apply that lens to the entire labor code.”  

“We have not only a poverty in pay, but a poverty of rights.”

“The most important thing Nova Scotia can do to support janitors in this province is to follow the lead of Quebec, Ontario, and BC and extend successorship rights to contracted service employees. This gives workers a meaningful and realistic path to becoming organized and the stability necessary to be able to negotiate for fair wages and better conditions at their workplace like other workers in the province.  It puts an end to the chaos and arbitrariness of contract-flipping and preemptively resolves workplace conflicts through good and functional policy.”

See also: Big News: Minimum wage goes up 40 cents as of April 1

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“I took every shift I could get, up to 70-hours per week, to make ends meet. With wages that low, this is what you have to do.”
Devon Bartlett, Halifax airport worker

In September 2019, Justin Trudeau promised “a federal minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, starting in 2020 and rising with inflation, with provisions to ensure that where provincial or territorial minimum wages are higher, that wage will prevail.”

We are in the final days of 2020, and yet Trudeau has taken no steps to honour this commitment. 

The majority of Canadian workplaces are regulated provincially. Provinces establish and enforce basic employment standards pertaining to matters such as overtime pay, mandatory breaks, statutory holidays, and the minimum wage.

Federal minimum wage pegged at provincial minimum

Only about 6 percent of Canada’s workforce is regulated by the Canada Labour Code; federal legislation that sets out the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers in affected sectors like transportation, telecommunications, broadcasting, and banking.

Currently, the Canada Labour Code guarantees workers the same minimum wage set out by the province in which they are employed. In Nova Scotia, this is only $12.55 per hour.

While the majority of federally regulated workers in Canada earn more than $15 hourly, 22% of employees in the transportation industry earn less. For these workers, the promised amendment to the federal wage floor would mean pay increases ranging from $0.40-$3.55 per hour – a significant improvement.

Poverty wages at Halifax airport

Craig Moss, a grounds-crew airport worker earning $13 per hour, feels held back by wages he describes as inadequate. “Car payments, insurance, affording food, and having a life I enjoy is tough,” says Moss. “Things can go wrong, too. I need my car to get to work, but there was a crack in my windshield that needed repairing. Things are so expensive. I can’t afford Christmas presents for my friends and family.” 

The burden of poverty has made personal challenges even more difficult for Moss. “My girlfriend’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, so she had to quit her job to take care of her,” says Moss. “I am looking after all the bills at the moment and it is tough to keep up. Depression creeps in. I had to take a week off work due to severe stomach pains because of the stress this is causing, but I have no savings to rely on.”

A living wage for the city of Halifax is $21.80 per hour; nearly $10 higher than the minimum wage guaranteed to both federally and provincially regulated employees in Nova Scotia. “In terms of affordable living, especially in Halifax, things can be really expensive. Food costs are really high in comparison to what we earn. I still live at home and planning on moving out is really difficult on such a small wage,” says Moss.

“That could have killed me”

Devon Bartlett, another airport worker earning less than $15 per hour, finds his wages too low especially given the risks he and his co-workers face daily. “Our work super dangerous, even before COVID. Accidents happen all the time,” says Bartlett. “We’re outside, dealing with heavy machines and multi-million-dollar planes. I’ve been outside for 3-hours straight in freezing rain, completely soaked. I even had a plane door almost shut on me because the wind was so strong. That could have killed me.”

Until recently, Bartlett’s employment had been part-time. “I took every shift I could get, up to 70-hours per week, to make ends meet. With wages that low, this is what you have to do.”

Bartlett says higher wages would make a huge difference. “I enjoy the work, but we deserve better pay. Our jobs are necessary to get people to their destinations safely. We should be compensated better.”

On December 6^th, Halifax’s Fight for $15 and Fairness campaign hosted a phone zap. Participants made calls to the Prime Minister, the Labour Minister, and Members of Parliament urging them all to take action. The Fight for Fifteen and Fairness campaign and the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre (Halifax-WAC) calls on everyone who is concerned with this issue to continue this outreach effort.

Organizing to raise standards

“We know that many workers in federally regulated industries are currently paid wages so low that they cannot afford the basic necessities of life, like rent, utilities, and groceries,” says Katrin MacPhee, a member of both the Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign and the Halifax-WAC. “A $15 minimum wage is a step towards these workers attaining the dignity and financial security we all deserve.”

Given the small number of federally regulated workers in Canada, many have dismissed the importance of a new federal wage floor. However, holding the Liberals to account will not only benefit those working in federal sectors.

Currently, 10 out of 12 Canadian provinces have minimum wages below $15 per hour. “As workers in more jurisdictions across Canada enjoy a $15 minimum wage, the less acceptable it will be for provinces like Nova Scotia to set the minimum wage at less than $15,” says MacPhee.

The federal government must act quickly. “Making under $15 per hour is not livable, period, especially in uncertain times,” says Bartlett. “The smallest change helps when you are earning so little”.

Moss believes the Liberal government ought to keep its word. “We were told we would get a $15 minimum wage and they need to follow through,” he says. “There are many people out here earning less than that who are really struggling. We need to make this happen.”

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre and Halifax’s Fight for $15 and Fairness Campaign are calling on the Liberal government to deliver on its promise.

To learn more, check out the Halifax Fight for 15 and Fairness website, or contact the Halifax-Workers Action Centre, info@halifaxworkersaction.ca (902) 221-0755, www.halifaxworkersaction.ca 

See also: Lisa Cameron: One dollar more is not enough for Nova Scotia

With a special thanks to our generous donors who make publication of the Nova Scotia Advocate possible.

Subscribe to the Nova Scotia Advocate weekly digest and never miss an article again. It’s free!

The post Halifax airport workers and Trudeau’s broken $15 promise appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

Last year, Justin Trudeau promised “a federal minimum wage of at least $15 per hour, starting in 2020 and  rising with inflation, with provisions to ensure that where provincial or territorial minimum wages are higher, that  wage will prevail.” 

The year-end is quickly approaching, and yet there has been no movement to honour this commitment. 

Currently, the Canada Labour Code guarantees those working in federally regulated industries (such as  airlines, shipping, railways, telecommunications, broadcasting, and banking) the same minimum wage set out  by the province in which they are employed. In Nova Scotia, this is only $12.55 per hour. 

Craig Moss, an airport worker earning $13.40 per hour, believes the federal government ought to keep their  word. “We were told we would get a $15.00 minimum wage and they need to follow through,” says Moss.  “There are many people out here earning less than that who are really struggling. We need to make this  happen.” 

On December 6^th, Halifax’s Fight for Fifteen and Fairness campaign hosted a phone zap. Several calls were  made to the Prime Minister, the Labour Minister, and Members of Parliament urging them all to take  action. The Fight for Fifteen and Fairness campaign and the Halifax-WAC calls on everyone who is concerned  with this issue to continue this outreach effort. 

“We know that many workers in federally-regulated industries are currently paid wages so low that they cannot  afford the basic necessities of life, like rent, utilities, and groceries,” says Katrin MacPhee, a member of both  organizations. “A $15 minimum wage is a step towards these workers attaining the dignity and financial  security we all deserve.” 

A federal guarantee of $15 dollars per hour will have a broader and positive social impact, as well. “This could  put pressure on provincial jurisdictions to raise their minimum wages to at least $15/hour,” says MacPhee. “As  workers in more jurisdictions across Canada enjoy a $15/minimum wage, the less acceptable it will be for  provinces like Nova Scotia to set the minimum wage at less than $15.” 

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre is calling on the Liberal government to deliver on their promise. 

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The Halifax-WAC is a not-for-profit committed to improving the lives and working conditions of low-waged and marginalized workers. It provides systemic advocacy through campaigns like the Fight for 15 and Fairness and  one-on-one support for workers facing difficulty in their individual employment relationships.   

Halifax Workers’ Action Centre 

info@halifaxworkersaction.ca • (902) 221-0755 • www.halifaxworkersaction.ca

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KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – A few weeks ago, Premier Stephen McNeil made headlines when he apologized to Black and Indigenous people for systemic racism in Nova Scotia’s justice system. 

A comprehensive approach to systemic racism must go beyond the justice system. One must, as well, take action to protect the health and safety of migrant workers in the province. So far, McNeil and his cabinet have dragged their feet on this issue. 

In his apology, NcNeil said: “I want you to know I hear you, I see you, I believe you …” To date, however, the premier and his cabinet have displayed a lack of willingness to hear and see migrant workers. 

Each year, 2,000 migrant workers come to Nova Scotia from Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia to plant, harvest and process fruits, vegetables and seafood. As a racialized and “temporary” labour force, they routinely endure working and living conditions simply not permissible for other workers. 

Shavan, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is one of those workers. He’s a father of three from Jamaica who’s been coming to Nova Scotia as a migrant farm worker for eight years. This past year, his bunkhouse was overrun with large rats. He says, “I know that’s not part of Canada’s standards.” Even during the heatwave over the summer, Shavan and other migrant workers were working 10-hour days in the blistering sun for minimum wage. 

He states: “It’s modern-day slavery. You have some people who look down on us as Black people working on the farm and don’t even remember that the food that they are eating came from our hand. Because all of the apples picked in the Annapolis Valley are picked by Black people: Jamaicans. White people won’t do it because it’s hard work.”

On Aug. 5, over 36 organizations and unions across Nova Scotia sent an open letter to McNeil highlighting the systemic inequalities faced by migrant workers. The letter included 17 demands to the Nova Scotia government aimed at levelling the playing field for migrant workers, including access to public health care, an end to the practice of unlawfully preventing them from leaving farms, proactive inspections, protection against retaliation, and enabling them to exercise the right to refuse unsafe work. 

To date, McNeil has not responded to the open letter, nor to our requests for a meeting. 

The response we did receive from then Labour Minister Labi Kousoulis on Sept. 9 disregards the systemic inequalities faced by migrant workers and makes no commitments to improve their occupational health and safety. 

In his letter, Kousoulis states that migrant workers, “have the same protections under the province’s employment standards and safety legislation” as other workers. Shavan says: “That’s how it should be. We need action, not only talk.” 

In practice, migrant workers like Shavan face significant barriers to exercise basic worker rights. Their “temporary” migration status makes them vulnerable to abuse. Speaking out carries with it the risk of being fired, returned to their home country and barred from the program in the future. In addition, migrant workers face language barriers, inaccessibility of complaints procedures and a system skewed in favour of the employer. 

Workers who lodged a complaint against Balamore Farm, reported on by the Nova Scotia Advocate, say that when the government agent came to do an inspection, a supervisor on the farm was able to hand-pick the workers interviewed and threatened them against speaking out about their conditions. 

Kousoulis claims that the government responds to complaints proactively, including unannounced visits to worksites, but he provides no evidence of this. 

As such, we’ve written to request additional information on the points he’s raised. Shavan, for one, says: “We haven’t seen any inspector … Personally, I haven’t and I never heard anyone say they’ve seen an inspector.”

Kousoulis ends his letter by thanking us for our “continued efforts to support others who may not always have a voice.” 

To the contrary, migrant workers like Shavan are speaking out despite the risks, and demanding change. 

As we brace for the second wave of COVID-19, urgent action is needed at the provincial and federal levels to end the systemic racism faced by migrant workers.

On Oct. 23, it was announced that Nova Scotia farmers employing migrant workers will be eligible to receive subsidies for COVID-19-related safety measures through a federal funding package unveiled in the summer. This funding doesn’t address the causes of migrant worker vulnerability.

We urge incoming Labour Minister Lena Metlege Diab and Premier Stephen McNeil to adopt the recommendations highlighted in the open letter, and to meet with us.

We also continue to echo calls for full and permanent immigration status for all migrants. As part of the cross-Canada Day of Action for Status for All, we invite you to a screening of the groundbreaking documentary El Contrato, followed by a Q & A discussion on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. in Halifax. The event will take place at St. George’s Round Church Hall (2221 Maitland St). We hope to see you there. 

Stacey Gomez is a migrant justice organizer with No One is Illegal – Halifax/K’jipuktuk. Asaf Rashid is a board member of the Halifax Workers Action Centre. Jessica Tellez is a member of the Halifax Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Wanda Thomas, a proponent for reparations, is vice-chair of the Global Afrikan Congress- N.S. Chapter and advocates for justice for migrant workers. They are members of the Migrant Worker Rights Working Group and their organizations are signatories to the open letter sent to the McNeil government on Aug. 5.

With a special thanks to our generous donors who make publication of the Nova Scotia Advocate possible.

Subscribe to the Nova Scotia Advocate weekly digest and never miss an article again. It’s free!

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Facebook event here.

WHEN: Mon. Nov 2 @ 6:30PM

WHERE: St. George’s Round Church Hall (2221 Maitland St.)

Join us for a screening of the groundbreaking documentary “El Contrato” (The Contract), directed by Min Sook Lee. This film follows the story of Teodoro and other migrant workers who come from Mexico to work in tomato greenhouses in Leamington, Ontario. We’ll also hear the story of Shavan, a father of three from Jamaica who’s been coming to Nova Scotia as a migrant farm worker for 8 years (through a pre-recorded interview). This will be followed by Q & A discussion.

Each year, approximately 2,000 migrant workers arrive in Nova Scotia to plant, harvest, and process agricultural crops and seafood products. Come find out about the realities faced by migrant workers in Nova Scotia. We’ll also discuss local advocacy efforts in solidarity with migrant workers and actions you can take to support.

This event is taking place as part of the Status For All Day of Action.

Physical distancing protocols will be in effect.

Hosted by: Migrant Worker Rights Working Group & Radical Imagination Project

Sponsored by: No one is illegal – Halifax/K’jipuktuk, Halifax Workers Action Centre and Global Afrikan Congress NS

The post PSA: Film Screening El Contrato + Q and A appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – As businesses continue to re-open across Nova Scotia, workers adjust to employment during the time of COVID. The unprecedented nature of the pandemic has raised several legal questions about an employer’s duty to respect health and safety protocols for the sake of their staff, and the public.

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre, an organization that provides free legal information to low-wage and marginalized workers, has received several calls from employees about their workplace rights during COVID. Among other questions, workers want to know if they can be fired for quarantining.

On June 28, Rory Carter was hired as a server at a popular restaurant in downtown Halifax. During her interview, Carter informed the restaurant owner that she had plans to visit her family in Saskatchewan and asked if this would be an issue. 

Quarantine

“I explained that I would have to quarantine for two weeks upon return to Nova Scotia,” says Carter. “I understood that such a long work absence might leave them short-staffed, and I wanted to be upfront. My vacation request was immediately approved, including the 14-day isolation period. I went home to Saskatoon for a quick visit, confident that my job would be waiting for me upon my return.”

Carter left for her trip on July 15. Before she returned, she noticed that she had been removed from the work schedule.

“All of my shifts were gone,” Carter says. “I messaged the bar manager and asked if there had been a mistake. He explained that business had picked up, and that all my shifts had been given away.”

Carter asked her boss if, after her quarantine was finished, a return to work would be possible. Her manager then confirmed that her position had been filled. “He said that he could not accommodate my quarantine after all and wished me the best in finding a new position.” 

Securing alternative employment on short notice is not easy. “It can take time, particularly during a pandemic,” says Carter. “Plus, my quarantine had just started.  I wouldn’t have been able to begin a new job for 2-weeks and I wasn’t able to apply for work in-person. I was left in a bad position.”

Terminating an employee for following public health directives can come with legal consequences to the employer.

“Under the Nova Scotia Labour Standards Code, an employee has the right to a leave if an emergency is declared under the Emergency Management Act or Health Protection Act that prevents the employee from performing work duties,” says Asaf Rashid, a lawyer on a temporary leave from practice and an active member of the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre.

The COVID-19 health emergency is ongoing. “If any employee is ordered to quarantine or self-isolate due to COVID-19, and they have not been provided with any accommodation to work from home, they cannot perform their work duties,” says Rashid. “An employer who terminates an employee in these circumstances is disregarding the emergency and the rights of the employee under the Code.”

Beyond defying labour standards legislation, an employer who terminates or disciplines an employee for following public health directives may also be infringing on their human rights. On June 2, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (NSHRC) issued a statement explaining that employers have a duty to accommodate workers who are required to quarantine or self-isolate.

“If an employer terminates an employee for following quarantine or self-isolation requirements, their actions are doubly devastating,” says Rashid. “For one, they have wrongly ended an employee’s source of income.  Secondly, they are sending the message to other employees to break quarantine or self-isolation rules to keep their jobs, which could land employees with massive fines.” 

Legal protections 

There are legal avenues for those who have been punished or terminated for quarantining.

“An employee who has been terminated or suffered retaliation through a cutting of their hours or other losses can file a Labour Standards complaint,” says Rashid. “They can also make a human rights complaint to the NSHRC.”

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre offers assistance to low-wage workers in filing labour standards and human rights complaints, as well as demand letters to employers who are infringing on their rights.

With support from the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre, Carter is in the process of filing a labour standards complaint against her former employer. However, the situation has made her feel discouraged.

“This experience has taught me that some bosses simply don’t care about the person behind the position,” she says. “We’re expendable.  To some, our livelihood is just a position to be filled in accordance with the employers’ need.”

If you or someone you know is being punished at work for following quarantine or self-isolation requirements, contact the Halifax Workers’ Action Centre.

*Editor’s note: Name has been changed to protect the identity of the worker

Contact the Halifax-Workers Action Centre, info@halifaxworkersaction.ca (902) 221-0755, www.halifaxworkersaction.ca 

With a special thanks to our generous donors who make publication of the Nova Scotia Advocate possible.

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The post Fired for quarantine appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – Not quite a Labour Day march, but a rally earlier today in support of 10 paid sick days in Nova Scotia drew close to 100 people to downtown Halifax. 

The traditional Labour Day celebration and parade was cancelled because of COVID-19. 

Three unpaid sick days is all a non-unionized worker in Nova Scotia is entitled to. As the pandemic has made painfully clear, that not only makes life very difficult for workers, especially if a child or loved one falls sick, it also endangers entire families and communities as workers facing rent and grocery bills show up for work sick.

“How can we have any pride in a society that requires a person to choose between putting food on their table and taking care of their health,” asked Nan McFadgen, president of CUPE Nova Scotia.

“When your fridge is empty and your kids are hungry, you don’t have a lot of choice. We need to alleviate the worry and stress that people are experiencing. We need to support working people in this pandemic and the most impactful change would be to bring in 10 paid sick days,” McFadgen said.

Stacey Gomez of No One is Illegal – Halifax/K’jipuktuk spoke about migrant workers, migrant students and asylum seekers, often  forgotten but very much a presence here in Nova Scotia.

“All over the country, thousands of migrant workers have become sick with Covid-19 and already three have died. Asylum seekers have risked their lives working in long term care homes during the pandemic despite not having access to public health care themselves. This is what inequality looks like,” said Gomez. 

“ I work in high volume customer service, we touch all of your food,” said a grocery worker. “And we do that with very limited access to things like hand washing. Now, under those circumstances, one would hope that workers would be empowered to stay home when they’re sick. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is the case. Virtually all of us are part time, increasingly so.”

“In theory, you have three unpaid sick days a year, but the reality is, if you’re a part time worker with no guaranteed hours and you take your three sick days, see how many shifts you get the next month. So  10 paid sick days, backed by proper enforcement would make a huge difference,” they said.

A recent report by the Decent Work and Health Network points out that 58% of Canadian workers don’t have paid sick days at all. 

The working poor are suffering the most, 74% of workers earning less than $25,000 lack paid sick days. Politicians  like to call these workers essential and heroes when the camera is rolling, but look the other way when it comes to action. 

A disproportionate number of these workers are racialized.  Women not only disproportionately provide care, but they are more likely to report losing wages to care for others, including their children and families when they fall ill. 

The Federal government’s new temporary program, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), will allow workers who are sick or must self-isolate due to Covid-19 to receive $500 per week for a maximum of two weeks, if they have missed more than 60% of their scheduled work week. 

“This federal program requires you to miss half of your scheduled work week in order to qualify. So what does that look like when your kids’ teacher calls you and says that your kid has a runny nose and has to come home from school. What happens if you’re waiting for a test result and it takes less than half of your scheduled workweek for that to come back,” asked Mark Culligan, an organizer with the Halifax Workers Action Centre. “At best it’s a temporary solution to a permanent problem.”

Other speakers at the rally included elder Billy Lewis, NDP MLAs Gary Burrill and Kendra Coombes, long term care worker Laura Stewart, and Melissa Marsman, 3rd Vice President of the NSGEU.   

I didn’t see any councillors, MP’s or other MLAs in the crowd, but then again with masks it’s sometimes hard to tell.

The rally was organized by the Halifax-Dartmouth & District Labour Council and the Halifax Workers Action Centre.

See also: If you want paid sick days you better join a union, says Premier McNeil

With a special thanks to our generous donors who make publication of the Nova Scotia Advocate possible.

Subscribe to the Nova Scotia Advocate weekly digest and never miss an article again. It’s free!

The post Halifax Labour Day rally demands 10 paid sick days for all workers, now more than ever appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.

The Halifax Workers’ Action Centre (Halifax-WAC) is renewing its call for the Labour Standards Code to be amended to guarantee employees paid sick leave.

Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau said he would work with provincial governments to ensure all workers had paid sick leave. When asked about it, Premier McNeil suggested he would not consider making paid said sick leave a minimum employment standard.

McNeil says that employees seeking paid sick leave should join unions. Halifax-WAC believes that employees in Nova Scotia should unionize to have a collective voice in their working conditions.  However, the process takes time and needs to be made more accessible.  Halifax-WAC demands that Nova Scotia guarantee paid sick days under provincial legislation to make them immediately accessible to all.

The Premier’s comments come at a time when it is clearer than ever before that employees should be guaranteed paid time off work when they are experiencing illness.

“No one should have to choose between going in to work sick and paying their bills,” said Katrin MacPhee, an organizer with the Halifax-WAC, “Every person working in Nova Scotia should be guaranteed paid time off work when they are sick.”

The Halifax-WAC is calling on the provincial government to amend the Labour Standards Code to guarantee employees ten days of paid sick leave per year.

Currently, employees are only entitled to three days off work for sickness per year. There is no requirement that the employee be paid for the time off.

The Halifax-WAC has repeatedly called for paid sick leave to be made a minimum employment standard in Nova Scotia, citing benefits such as preventing the spread of disease and increasing sick workers’ rate of recovery.

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The Halifax-WAC is a not-for-profit committed to improving the lives and working conditions of low-waged and marginalized workers. It provides systemic advocacy through campaigns like the Fight for 15 and Fairness and one-on-one support for workers facing difficulty in their individual employment relationships.

The post Media release: Workers’ Action Centre urges Premier to reconsider position on sick leave appeared first on Nova Scotia Advocate.