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Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Jennifer Murray and Health Care Director Kellee Janzen stood shoulder-to-shoulder with long-term care workers and supporters outside Minister Barbara Adams’ office to demand an end to delays preventing workers from bargaining.
As Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care in a supermajority government that ran on their promise to “fix health care” in Nova Scotia, advocates say waiting two years for a mandate to bargain is unacceptable.
“Tim Houston promised to be the Premier who respected health care workers. Yet here we are, begging him to do his job and make it possible for workers and their employers to bargain,” said Murray to the gathered crowd. “We’re done waiting. The disrespect toward long-term care workers must end now.”
Unifor has spoken with government representatives, requested additional meetings, and directly asked government when it plans to produce the financial mandate for long-term care. The union has received no answers.
“Members are angry and hurt and they have told us just how frustrating it is to feel let down by this government so soon after they were called ‘Heroes’ by Premier Houston,” said Janzen. “They can’t be expected to continue working as hard as they do every day when they feel like government has totally forgotten them.”
Murray and Janzen were joined by CUPE Nova Scotia President Alan Linkletter, the Nova Scotia Health Coalition’s Provincial Coordinator Jennifer Benoit, and NSNDP MLA Paul Wozney who all spoke out against the unnecessary and insulting government delay.
Hundreds of members have sent a letter to their MLA and the Premier through the union’s email petition and still more have reported reaching out to ask their MLA to explain the delays.
Members plan to gather outside Minister of Health and Wellness Michelle Thompson’s constituency office in Antigonish, N.S., on November 19. All supporters are welcomed and encouraged to join.
See photos from the rally in Eastern Passage on the Unifor Facebook page.
