Screen capture: Nan McFadgen speaking via video conference to the NS Standing Committee on Health.

CUPE Nova Scotia president delivers remarks on long term care to legislative committee

CUPE NS President Nan McFadgen gave the following testimony (see text below) to the Standing Committee on Health at the Nova Scotia Legislature via video conference today. Nan spoke about the impacts of staffing shortages in long term care, and answered questions from committee members. My name is Nan McFadgen and I am president of CUPE Nova Scotia. I am pleased to be here today representing over 19,000 CUPE members, 4700 who work directly in long-term care. I thank the committee for looking into the problem of staffing shortages and for inviting me to speak. I bring you a simple and clear message from CCAs (continuing care assistants), dietary aides, housekeepers… the full range of workers who work in long-term care: “We are overworked and underpaid.” You may think being overworked and underpaid are two separate problems to have. But long-term care workers want you to know that they are … Read more…

Web banner. Text: Safe at work. Photo: N-95 respirator

Make N-95 respirators available to all education support staff in Nova Scotia: CUPE

CUPE Nova Scotia’s School Board Council of Unions (NSSBCU), representing over 4,600 members at all public schools, is calling on the provincial government to provide properly fitted N-95 masks to all workers in school settings. “If other provinces can get them for education sector workers, why can’t Nova Scotia?” asks CUPE Nova President Nan McFadgen. “It’s the same virus in all the provinces, but education workers in Nova Scotia are expected to accept more risk?” “Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) mask guidance has changed, and we need to upgrade our protection. We cannot afford to become complacent,” adds McFadgen. With increased concern about the aerosol spread of COVID-19, the new guidance recommends that properly fitting N-95s should be worn in indoor occupational settings (in a school setting that would include buses). “We’re talking about making an investment that could save lives and protect our health care system,” says McFadgen. … Read more…

Web banner. Text: Keep staff and children safe in Nova scotia child care centres. Photo childcare worker and three children in a daycare centre.

Nova Scotia COVID-19 measures endanger children and early childhood educators

Nova Scotia Public Health and the provincial government are failing workers and children in child care centres, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing over 200 early childhood educators (ECEs) at not-for-profit and profit child care centres across the province. “We sent a letter to Minister Becky Druhan yesterday asking for N95 respirators and rapid test kits (for staff and children), and to immediately reduce capacity in each classroom,” says Margot Nickerson, early childhood educator and president of CUPE 4745. “We’re tired of being forced to ask for these things over and over and being ignored.” “We understand updated guidance is forthcoming and we are asking that capacity in child care centres be immediately reduced to no more than 50 per cent and that it be applied to each ‘classroom’, not each ‘centre’. They must stop enforcing that rule only by ‘centre’,” explains Nickerson. “While one classroom may … Read more…