Five times provincial governments failed with P3 hospitals

A warning for taxpayers in Nova Scotia Time and time again provincial governments are forced to admit they were wrong to use public-private partnerships (P3s) to construct health care facilities, costing taxpayers billions of dollars more than they would spend if those hospitals were publicly owned and constructed. Auditor Generals, researchers and journalists across Canada continue to report on P3 failures and unnecessary waste of taxpayers money, yet here we are in Nova Scotia as the McNeill Government is about to embark on another foreseeable failure. Let’s stop with the misleading jargon and practices and start making transparent, evidence-based decisions. Put our health care dollars into the public health care system, not into construction cost overruns and the pockets of private companies – who may not even be from our province. Keep our hospitals and long term care facilities public. North Bay Regional Hospital – Ontario The P3 North Bay Regional Hospital cost at … Read more…

union education workshop

2017 Nova Scotia Workshop Schedule

Workshops for CUPE NS members February to December of 2017 We are pleased to announce the schedule of workshops being offered to for all CUPE members in Nova Scotia from February to December of 2017. As always you are not limited to those listed. If you would like to have other workshops arranged for your local, or scheduled on weekdays or evenings, please contact your CUPE Education Representative and they will make arrangements to meet your locals’ needs. A printable PDF version of the registration form is available with the schedule here: NS 2017 workshop schedule. Online registration For your convenience, online registration is available at cupe.ca/unioneducation. DATE WORKSHOP LOCATION EXTRAS February 11 – 12, 2017 Steward Learning Series: Creating an accommodation-friendly workplace Handling grievances Representing members in front of management Amherst Super 8 40 Lord Amherst Drive, Hwy. 104 (exit 4) Amherst, NS   PREREQUISITE Members must have previously taken – Stewarding: an introduction   February 11 … Read more…

CUPE 8920 logo

CUPE 8920 Health Care Bargaining Update – January 19, 2017

Dear Sisters and Brothers: The Health Care Bargaining Council, which includes members of the CUPE 8920 bargaining committee, has made a formal bargaining complaint on Thursday, January 19, 2017, against your employer with the Labour Board. Bargaining between the Nova Scotia Council of Health Care Unions and the NSHA and IWK has stalled because the Employers are refusing to tell the Unions what they are proposing for key aspects of the new collective agreements. The Council of Unions’ bargaining committee is made up of three members, from CUPE, six from NSGEU, and one from Unifor. The Council has repeatedly asked for the NSHA and IWK to table their full proposals. The Employers have refused. At issue are three key proposals: sick leave; health and life benefits plans; and pay plan maintenance (the process that evaluates whether people are properly paid for the work they do). The Council has repeatedly informed … Read more…