N.S. long-term care workers, on strike for 6 weeks, picket outside premier’s speech

A group of striking Nova Scotia long-term care workers picketed in downtown Halifax Monday, steps away from Premier Tim Houston’s state of the province address.

Holly Snow, a maintenance worker with the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said in an interview that the hundreds of striking workers who were outside the Halifax Convention Centre are battling for fair wages.

CUPE members at 35 long-term care facilities have been on strike for six weeks, with pay being the main issue in the labour dispute.

“Here we are going on our seventh week and we’re still on strike. All we want is a living wage. People (are) working two or three jobs right now just to make ends meet because everything is going up,” she said.

1:59 Nova Scotia long-term care workers mark one month of strike action

The picket comes after the union rejected the provincial government’s claim that CUPE negotiators refused to return to the bargaining table on the weekend.

Seniors Minister Barbara Adams has said the union was asked to negotiate over the weekend but decided to wait until this week.

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A union spokesperson says the claim is false.

The government has offered wage increases between 12 and 24 per cent over four years, retroactive pay to 2023; increased evening and weekend premiums and access to a defined benefit pension; an additional $2 per hour beginning in 2027 for those earning less than $23 an hour; and an additional 1.5 per cent increase for all workers next year.

“I personally believe it’s time for those members to vote on the offer that is on the table,” Houston told reporters Monday after his speech.

“We did listen carefully over the first few weeks of the labour action. There was a lot of concern about the lower-paid job classifications, so we tried to acknowledge that. We made a move on our side to offer an increase to the lower classifications and others as well.”

Relatives of long-term care residents have said the strike has meant fewer baths, more falls and dietary adjustments for their loved ones.