SAPTEMBER 30TH IS NATIONAL TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION DAY
This day honors the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities.
News
Letter to Community Services members
May 13, 2020
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.
Letter to Premier re health care worker premiums
May 8, 2020
Premier McNeil,
I am writing you to recognize the federal and provincial Essential Health Care Workers Program announced yesterday that will provide health care workers with a bonus of up to $2,000. Although CUPE appreciates the provincial government’s willingness to work together with the federal government to provide some recognition, we cannot allow this moment to pass without pointing out that this program ignores many critical members of our essential services front line. We understand that NSGEU has shared similar concerns with you.
The people who work on the front lines of Nova Scotia’s social services sector are holding our communities together through this crisis. They protect the well-being of the most vulnerable among us, and often expose themselves to significant risk in the course of their duties. The services they provide (adult residential care, rehabilitation services, and housing support work to name a few) cannot be postponed or rescheduled, and workers in DCS-funded facilities and programs have been reporting for duty with a smile, despite the risks.
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.
