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CUPE Nova Scotia: “Long Term Care Is Dying, and Houston Is Letting It Happen”

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, President of CUPE Nova Scotia Alan Linkletter sent a letter to Premier Houston calling on this conservative government to stop ignoring the hardworking long term care workers of this province and offer them a fair deal instead of lining the pockets of private companies.

“Presenting the same offer over and over isn’t bargaining to me”

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“Since Houston entered office, we have been overrun with examples of his government offering up millions of dollars in contracts to private companies instead of using that same money to invest in strengthening the already existing public services,” said Linkletter. “We’ve seen this impact bargaining over and over and now, as long term care workers move closer to a strike, we’re seeing it again.”

CUPE-represented long term care workers have been working without a contract since 2023 and, despite repeated attempts to bargain a fair deal, the government has tabled the same offer four times. This offer, which amounts to only a few dollars over four years for the majority, leaves these workers several dollars behind both the rest of Atlantic Canada and the living wage in Nova Scotia.

“Presenting the same offer over and over isn’t bargaining to me,” critiqued Linkletter, “that’s the government trying to force these workers to take a deal they decided on themselves months ago without listening to the workers and what they need.”

“I know, as the government announces more cuts to public service jobs and prepares what will in all likelihood be an austerity budget, the argument will be that this government can’t afford to pay these workers more. That’s simply not a sound argument. They had money to pay millions to private companies, to pay exorbitant salaries to their friends and personal connections. The government can, and does, find the money when they want to. They simply don’t want to, not for these workers,” finished Linkletter.

The full letter is available here: https://novascotia.cupe.ca/2026/02/20/open-letter-ltc/ ‎

:so/cope491

Contacts

Alan Linkletter
CUPE Nova Scotia President
president@cupens.ca

Taylor Johnston
CUPE Atlantic Communications Representative
tjohnston@cupe.ca

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CUPE

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Contacts

Alan Linkletter
CUPE Nova Scotia President
president@cupens.ca

Taylor Johnston
CUPE Atlantic Communications Representative
tjohnston@cupe.ca

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