Nova Scotia Liberal Government stomping on workers’ rights

Unions fight-back legislation in Nova Scotia Hundreds of union members from across the province descended on opening day of the Nova Scotia Legislature on September 21, 2017. The workers, from several public sector unions, drowned out the Throne Speech being given inside at the same time. They sent a message to the McNeil Liberal Government that we will defend collective bargaining rights. “The unions will be around a lot longer than this Liberal Government!” See photos of the rally on Flickr. Organized by the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, CUPE was joined by members of Unifor, the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU), the Nova Scotia Nurses Union (NSTU), the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union (NSTU), the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), IUOE Local 727 (paramedics), and the Canadian Federation of Students. Three national union leaders joined provincial leaders to speak at the … Read more…

There is a better way – Nan McFadgen

The following speech was given by CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen at the Rally to Protest Bill 148 on September 21, 2017, at the Nova Scotia Legislature. Union members care. We care about the residents in our nursing homes. We care about increasing the number of staff in hospitals, so we all receive quality health care. We care about increasing the number of educational assistants in our schools, to help teach our children. We care about the quality of all the public services we deliver. We care about Nova Scotia. The choices made by the Liberal Government are hurting the province we love and are proud to call home. They are not acting in the best interest of working people like you or me. They are putting their own interests – and the interests of corporations – ahead of workers and their families. Nova Scotians are already feeling the … Read more…

I'm turning my back on NS Liberals

The Nova Scotia Liberal Government’s Attack on Workers

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF BILL 148 Since 2013, public sector workers including teachers, nurses, school board and child care workers, civil servants, the arts community and many others – approximately 70,000 – have been subjected to unrelenting interference in the collective bargaining process by the Liberal government. These attacks on public sector workers are unfair and likely unconstitutional. They’ll also do serious damage to the economy. The wage restraint sections of Bill 148 are wage restraints, not imposed economic increases. For example, the economic increase in the third year cannot be more than 1%, meaning in theory something less could be negotiated, but nothing greater. The retirement allowance, a freely negotiated benefit, is being unfairly taken without being offset and in effect takes wages from members that have been deferred until retirement. These wage restraints will reduce purchasing power as the rising cost of living outpaces wage gains. Better wages are necessary to get the economy … Read more…