For Immediate Release November 18, 2025
Union: Houston Government offers poverty wages and expects gratitude
Nova Scotia – Bargaining negotiations between long term care workers represented by CUPE
and the Houston government broke down yesterday, leading the union to begin the process to
file for conciliation.
“It’s frustrating and frankly disappointing,” said CUPE Long Term Care Coordinator Tammy
Martin. “We’ve been negotiating in good faith, demonstrating that we’re willing to compromise as
long as it means these workers are paid what they deserve, and instead of working with us,
they’ve offered the bare minimum and refused to look at our proposals.”
Union proposals include wage adjustments to bring Nova Scotian long term care workers up to
par with the other Atlantic provinces, long service adjustments to improve worker retention, and
recruitment initiatives. They are part of the coordinated bargaining process which unites workers
from over 50 long term care homes, who have been working with an expired contract for two
years. These classifications range from nurses, such as LPNs, to support staff, such as laundry
and dietary. Most long term care classifications are currently the lowest paid in Atlantic Canada
with some nearly $10 below the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) Nova Scotia’s
estimated living wage.
“The fact that any classification in this province is paid the lowest out of the Eastern provinces is
embarrassing,” said CUPE Nova Scotia President Alan Linkletter. “It’s even worse that these
specific workers are the ones responsible for caring for one of our most vulnerable populations.
They give our seniors a home, a friend, sometimes even family. In return, the Houston
government offers them poverty wages and expects gratitude.”
“‘Lowest paid in Atlantic Canada.’ The first time I heard that, I thought it couldn’t be possible,”
admitted CUPE Long Term and Community Care Chairperson Christa Sweeney. “I couldn’t
believe that Nova Scotia would come last in something as vital as paying the people who take
care of our seniors properly. But it’s true, we are last, and it seems the Houston government is
fine bearing that title because their recent offer doesn’t fix it. If anything, it makes us sink even
lower as the cost of living will continue to increase over the life of this agreement.”
CUPE long term care workers continue to take strike votes province-wide, with over half of them
already scheduled, in progress, or being counted.
For more information, please contact
Tammy Martin
CUPE Long Term Care Coordinator
902-577-2463
Taylor Johnston
CUPE Atlantic Communications
Representative
tjohnston@cupe.ca
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