Community services workers in Nova Scotia who work with disabled persons are hoping an online petition will help the public understand why this round of contract bargaining is so important. Talks have broken down between the government and the workers’ bargaining agent, the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The employees work at 21 different work sites across the province.
“This is a sector that’s already struggling to recruit and retain staff, and now government wants to lower wages for new employees,” says CUPE National Representative Kim Cail. “The work these people do is critical and challenging, and they deserve fair compensation and decent pensions.”
Christa Sweeney, chair of the Long-Term Care/Community Services Coordinating Committee, says the commitment the province has made to closing institutions and rehoming disabled adults and children in the community will require a major staffing adjustment. “This is wonderful and empowering for those who want to be able to make their own choices,” she says, “but how will government ensure that current employees and new hires are treated equally across the sector if we can’t achieve consensus on wages and benefits at the table now?”
The petition was launched today with a message to Community Services Minister Trevor Boudreau and Premier Tim Houston. It asks government to return to the bargaining table with a fair deal for the workers that acknowledges their hard work and dedication to their clients.
Sign the petition here: DCSWorkersDeserveBetter.ca