2021-12-15

Province’s $57 million in support for long-term care falls short of the mark - CUPE local president

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The province's recent announcement that it was investing close to $57 million to support long-term care is missing a key point, according to Laura Stewart, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4919, which oversees workers at Lunenburg's Harbour View Haven.

On Dec. 8, the government said it would be directing the money to those working in continuing care, adding more staff and opening more beds to seniors waiting for long-term care.

"The strategies are good, but myself and my colleagues, after having worked in long-term as long as we have, it's still a real big slap in our face," she said. "Again, they mentioned about unions bringing forward for collective bargaining for wages, but they don't need to wait for that. They can increase our wages immediately. Unions are asking for wages to be increased immediately."

The largest investment in this announcement is $22 million over the next two years to cover 100 per cent of tuition costs for more than 2,000 students in Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) programs.

Students will now have the option of taking full- or part-time studies, or participate in a new work-and-learn training program that allows people to earn money while learning. Students in the new program are expected to be in the workforce starting in February 2022.

On Nov. 30, CUPE employees working in long-term care in the province participated in a "Day of Action." They picketed in front of their places of employment and in front of MLA offices in 20 locations to bring awareness to their situation - lack of staff, low income and the inability to care for their residents the way they feel they should be cared for.

Work on a new contract between the government and CUPE workers has begun, but Stewart said this could take several months and a rise in wages is needed now.

While paying full tuition to attract new workers is a good thing, she said, current staff need to be looked after and nothing in the announcement addressed that. Stewart indicated current staff are the biggest recruiters and if they aren't happy that impacts recruitment prospects.

"It's like a trickle-down effect. If you start paying what we deserve you are going to have more people wanting to take the course and be a part of the team," she said. "To do this, you have to retain your staff. Give us something to make us stay in this profession, because so many people are leaving. We are the recruiters and we are telling them what they need to do."

Some highlights of the funding announcement that will be covered over the next two-and-a-half years include $8 million to provide long-term care homes with funding to offer their causal and part-time employees full-time positions or to hire more staff to provide direct care; $3.1 million to hire temporary staff while a larger workforce is built up; $3.1 million in tuition rebates for current CCAs; and $2.1 million to recruit more CCAs.

"Seniors deserve dignity, and we will make sure that the supports are in place to care for them and give them what they need as they age," Premier Tim Houston said in a news release. "They have given us so much, and it's our turn to take care of them."

His government's vision for the future is twofold, "a modern system that meets the needs of seniors and a skilled workforce to provide the care and support that seniors need," said the premier, adding, "These investments will help us do just that."

Investments over the next two and a half years to make more beds available to seniors waiting for long-term care include $6.1 million to convert and license beds in residential care facilities and assisted living facilities to nursing home level care; $5.9 million to license and fund 30 Veterans Affairs Canada beds for Nova Scotians who need them; and $1.8 million to extend an agreement with Shannex and the Sisters of Charity to keep 23 temporary nursing home beds open for another year.