Houston health care plan erodes Nova Scotia’s public health care system

The Houston government’s new health care plan, released today, shows that they are not listening to workers and other stakeholders, and raises red flags that more private, for-profit interests will be allowed to step into the public health care system. “The ‘flexible legislation and regulatory regime’ and ‘person-centred approach’ mentioned in Houston’s plan are code words often seen when governments intend to change our public health care to an unequal, do-it-yourself system. Meanwhile, they relieve themselves of more and more responsibility, deregulate the system, and hand over control to private companies,” says Nan McFadgen, president of CUPE Nova Scotia. “Our health care system is in crisis, and we all know that improvements are needed fast. However, improvements must be made within our ‘public and universal’ health care system,” says McFadgen. “The backlog of surgical procedures, and other treatments, need to be taken care of in the public system, and not … Read more…

Web banner. Text: CUPE Atlantic and Maritime Region Indigenous Council. Image: illustration of a single feather

Become a member of the CUPE Atlantic Maritime Region Indigenous Council

Calling all CUPE members in the Atlantic-Maritimes region who self-identify as Indigenous – First Nations, Metis or Inuit! Please consider joining the newly created CUPE Atlantic Maritime Region Indigenous Council (CAMIC). The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for June 9 to 11, 2022. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2022. Constitutional amendments were recently passed by four divisions to create the council. The divisions will cover the cost of participation. Email your expression of interest to: CUPE NB sdrost@cupe.ca CUPE NL egreen@cupe.ca CUPE NS cmelanson@hotmail.com CUPE PEI lgallant@cupe.ca  

Web banner. Text: Budget response. Images: Photo of a female nurse talking the blood pressure of a senior, seated on a nursing home bed. CUPE NS logo.

Decades of neglect in care sectors not adequately addressed by provincial budget 

“Decades of neglect and staffing shortages across care sectors were not adequately addressed by the provincial budget released on Tuesday,” says CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen, “including hospitals, long-term care, home support, community services, and child care.” “In long-term care, the budget allocated funding for nursing (LPNs and RNS) to increase from 1 to 1.1 hours of care per resident per day (six minutes), and a marginal increase to the ‘hands-on care’ provided by continuing care assistants (CCAs),” says McFadgen. “We want the public to understand that hands-on care and nursing are two separate types of work. The money in this budget will only add six minutes per day for each resident for nursing care. Meanwhile, hands-on care provided by CCAs will not increase at all in some nursing homes, and other facilities will see up to an additional 45 minutes per resident per day,” explains McFadgen. “Yes, that’s … Read more…