Home Support workers say enough is enough, vote to go on strike

SYDNEY, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The home support workers of New Waterford Homecare Service Society voted overwhelmingly in favour of job action, with 99% of the workers voting in favour of a strike mandate. This vote comes after nearly two years of bargaining and four years with an expired contract.

“The entire time Premier Houston has been in office, we’ve been out of contract, and we’re left wondering, when he promises to fix health care, is he just not including Home Support?” said Jenn Smith, President of CUPE 3986, which represents the home support workers of New Waterford Homecare Service Society.

Home support workers, made up largely of Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs), are responsible for taking care of seniors and those with medical conditions that must be monitored. These workers allow hospitals to send patients home sooner and keep seniors in their homes longer, easing the burden on long term care, which is already suffering from bed shortages. Yet, the Houston government has offered very little to acknowledge their vital role in the health care system.

“We don’t even have guaranteed hours,” continued Smith. “Some days, we’re scheduled for eight hours of visits but if someone cancels, we’re left in the lurch. It’s impossible to financially plan or budget if you don’t know how many hours you’ll actually end up being paid for.”

CUPE 3986, alongside the other CUPE home support locals, are asking for ‘guaranteed hours’ which would mean the employer is required to schedule eight hours of appointments within a ten-hour block, allowing these vital workers to have both a consistent income and schedule.

“This isn’t a new concept. Many of the home support employers in Nova Scotia already offer guaranteed hours,” said CUPE Home Support Coordinator Kathy MacLeod. “And yet government is refusing to give us the same. Even after so many months of bargaining, we’re still fighting for so many vital parts of a fair collective agreement.”

Upon filing for conciliation and taking a strike vote, priority items such as wages, guaranteed hours, improved language around required travel, and weekend premiums still remain on the table.

“How can Houston claim he’s working to fix health care when he’s had three years to help CCAs in Home Support and has chosen to ignore them instead?” asked Smith.

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