Steve Joy CUPE 1867

P3 highways: Further along the road to ruin

The Liberal government’s decision to protect the consortium hired to build the new P3 highway near Antigonish from extra debt-servicing costs due to COVID-19 has CUPE 1867 (Highways) President Steve Joy shaking his head. “Interest payments will already be millions of dollars more on private sector financing,” says Joy. A report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives last year estimates it could cost up to $66.6 million more to finance the P3 highway debt through private loans than it would through government bonds. Nova Scotia NDP Leader Gary Burrill told All Nova Scotia this week that the government should not have assumed the risk posed by COVID-19, rather, “a public-private contract is supposed to protect government from risk.” Burrill goes on to say that the private partner has buttered both sides of its bread. “If they are paid a premium as they are in a P3 arrangement to assume … Read more…

Letter to Community Services members

Dear DCS Members:

Further to the emails I sent Saturday May 9th, I wanted to follow up with this letter as an update.

As the Premier announced the Provincial Healthcare Premium on Thursday, and we all know that DCS was left out because they do not deem you as healthcare workers, our push back began on Friday.

A media release went out on Friday, and a letter to the Premier was sent on Monday. The letter that was sent to the Premier also went to all 21 Employers yesterday with a request that they work with us lobbying government for all of you to be included in the healthcare premium. I will also be interviewed regarding this matter on 95.7 FM radio talk show on Thursday May 14th at 9:30. There have been numerous emails and conference calls between staff and the Coordinating Committee Executive to organize a plan and get a campaign up and running. I will provide more in-depth information when I have it.

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Community Services workers left out in the cold

HALIFAX – CUPE welcomes the news of the $2,000 premium being offered to health care workers in Nova Scotia, but is, however, extremely disappointed that the facilities funded by the Department of Community Services (DCS) are excluded from the premium. The offer leaves out essential frontline staff who work at residential facilities.

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