Happy Pride Month from CUPE NS

Ensuring the safety, well-being and inclusion of LGBTQ2+ people: CUPE Nova Scotia

PRIDE month is a time to remember the struggle, to celebrate victories and to reaffirm our commitment to solidarity with the LGBTQ2+ community. This global pandemic has certainly impacted how we mark PRIDE month this year. It has also shown us the existing disparities in our LGBTQ2+ communities. According to the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, LGBTQ2+ people are more vulnerable during this pandemic. Please see their report at https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Issues/LGBT/LGBTIpeople.pdf for a list of impacts of COVID-19 and actions governments around the world can take to ensure the safety, well-being and inclusion of LGBTQ2+ people. There are many LGBTQ2+ youth living in non-supportive situations, either with family or room mates. Being locked into your home with those who do not support you, or who are actively hostile, increases stress, potential violence and can have an extreme negative impact on mental and physical health and well being. … Read more…

Nan McFadgen, CUPE NS president

Nan McFadgen: Underfunding brings Nova Scotia’s childcare system to brink of collapse

The following letter to the editor by CUPE NS President Nan McFadgen was published by the Chronicle Herald on June 19, 2020.  The Nova Scotia government announced to the citizens of this province that it would ensure childcare centres and family day homes would be available when the economy was ready to reopen. While this decision may have seemed altruistic, it has become clear to most people that if the premier wanted to reopen the economy, he had no other choice. An economy without quality, public, dependable and affordable childcare is an economy in trouble. Unfortunately, the childcare system we have in Nova Scotia is extremely fragile and poorly funded. In his public briefings, the premier has implied that his government has been providing childcare centres with everything they need to get them through this unprecedented time. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true. The premier’s words made families believe that … Read more…

Empty child care classroom

Child care sector in Nova Scotia on brink of collapse

Child care centres across Nova Scotia are now facing a funding crisis that threatens to undermine the viability of the entire sector. Premier McNeil told families that their child care spots would be held for them once the economy reopened. However, his government has committed to only funding half of those spots leaving child care centres to foot the bill for any spots that they cannot fill. “We are hearing from workers across the province that many centres have already issued layoff notices, and that not many expect they will be able to secure enough children to balance their books before September,” says Margot Nickerson, president of the Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia and CUPE 4745. “Our child care centres need the government to show leadership and take action today.” According to data from a recent survey with more than 300 child care centre representatives responding, Nova Scotia centres … Read more…