Yarmouth long term care workers vote yes to strike

Yarmouth, NS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Almost 100 workers at long term care facility Villa St. Joseph-Du-Lac have voted in favour of job action. CUPE 3064 held a strike vote last week, with all members voting yes but one. CUPE 3064 is one of many locals across Nova Scotia bringing the fight for improvements in the long-term sector to their bargaining table.

“Recruitment and retention aren’t just buzzwords, they’re the difference between your loved ones getting the care they deserve, versus the level of care the province thinks is enough,” said Marla Nickerson, CUPE 3064 President.

Along with improvements to wages, understaffing is a critical issue for workers. Only half of long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia meet the recommended 4.1 hours of care per day per resident.

“This recommendation is a bare minimum—and since it’s only a recommendation, and not a requirement, many facilities fall short in the care provided to our clients,” continued Nickerson. “Workers are doing everything we can. When will the government step up for long-term care? Our residents deserve better, and workers deserve better.”

This follows strong strike mandates from other CUPE locals in the long-term care sector, who are at the table continuing coordinated negotiations involving over 50 different locals today.

CUPE 3064’s contract expired October 31, 2023.

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