Letter to the editor: Who needs childcare?

The following letter to the editor by Elizabeth Conrad, early childhood educator and member of CUPE 4745, was published in the Chronicle Herald on June 8, 2020. The Nova Scotia Centre of Education and Early Childhood Development, following the recommendation of Dr. Robert Strang, closed all public schools and licensed child-care providers in March. As the province was dealing with the COVID-19 global pandemic, the safety of all children in Nova Scotia was the top priority. As Nova Scotia begins to slowly and carefully remove restrictions, it will be a balancing act of stabilizing the economy while protecting public health. A process has been established by Public Health to carefully examine and approve revision plans for the delivery of all public services. What about parents who require childcare as the economy begins to slowly reopen? Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Strang have often discussed the reopening of childcare centres as … Read more…

Employer Obligations for Returning to Work During COVID-19

This FAQ answers some of the most common questions about employer obligations and the duty to accommodate workers in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please note that although the law on accommodations and COVID-19 has not been settled by courts and tribunals, accommodation obligations typically arise where an individual and/or a family member is immunocompromised or immunosuppressed. Alternately, there may be a requirement to provide care to a sick family member. As such, we expect that the employer would be held to the obligations set out below. What if I believe my workplace is unsafe due to COVID-19? Employees who believe their employer has not implemented safety measures to make their workspace safe or meet the safety guidelines set out by the government have the right to refuse unsafe work. Read more about COVID-19 and the right to refuse unsafe work: https://cupe.ca/covid-19-and-right-refuse-unsafe-work. What if I am immunocompromised or immunosuppressed? An employer has a legal duty to accommodate employees with an … Read more…

Louise Riley: Proper staffing ratios in long-term care make a world of difference

The following letter to the editor by Louise Riley, CUPE NS Long Term Care Coordinating Committee chairperson, was published in the Chronicle Herald on June 5, 2020.  In January, just two months before the COVID-19 lockdown, staff at a long-term-care home in New Glasgow volunteered for unpaid shifts in order to take part in a pilot study. The “work-in” was organized by the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the employer, Glen Haven Manor, was an enthusiastic supporter. Over a 24-hour period, continuing care assistants (CCAs) went to work on their own time in order to raise the resident-staff ratio on one of the units to 4.1 hours of care per resident per day. The current resident-staff ratio in Nova Scotia is 2.45 hours of care, a ratio that has not budged in 20 years, even though the age and frailty of seniors being admitted to care homes has changed … Read more…