THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU

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THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
THE STAND
                                  U
                                  N
                                  I
                                  O
                                  N
A PUBLICATION OF THE N.S. GOVERNMENT & GENERAL EMPLOYEES UNION   SPRING 2021

Nova Scotia’s Forgotten Frontline:

Public Health
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
President’s Letter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        What’s Inside

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               FEATURESAcute                                           THE STAND
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           4-9 NS Forgotten Frontline: Public Health                               is a publication of the
                                        We want to hear from our members. If you have                                                                                                                                                                   10-11 Union Campaign Saves 91 Jobs                                  Nova Scotia Government and

                                                                                                                                             Meet your union!
                                        thoughts on this issue of The Stand, or ongoing union                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  General Employees Union
                                        issues, send us your feedback! You can email us at                                                                                                                                                                 12 Health Care Members Bargaining Update                               255 John Savage Ave.
                                        inquiry@nsgeu.ca or connect with us:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Dartmouth, NS, B3B 0J3
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        14-15 Presentation to Health Committee LTC
                                                facebook.com/NSGEU                                                                           The membership of the Nova Scotia Government & General
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        16-18 Interview with NUPGE President Larry Brown                             Executive Officers
                                                                                                                                                     Employees Union is incredibly diverse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               President
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        20-21 A Visit to the Black Loyalists Heritage Centre                            Jason MacLean
                                                @NSGEU @JMACL3AN                                                                    Gender                                                 Sectors                                                      22-23 Education Calendar 2021                                                    902-424-4063
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1st Vice President
                                                                                                                                    Almost 70 per cent of NSGEU's membership               Our members work in a wide range of                             25 Work from Home Tax Credit                                                  Sandra Mullen
                                                                                                                                                                                           occupations, which fall under four main
                                                                                                                                    identify as female. Our union has a very strong
                                                                                                                                                                                           categories: Health Care (Acute), Health                         26 Sister of the Year: Robin MacLean                                          902-841-0108
                                                                                                                                    & active Women's Issues Committee to
                                                                                                                                    represent these members' issues.                       Care (Community), Government &                                                                                                            2nd Vice President
                                                                                                                                                                                           Education.                                                      29 Mental Health Resources for Members                                          Tammy Gillis
Dear members,
                                                                                                                                           She      He       Did not identify
                                                                                                                                                         Other
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         902-759-7530
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      3rd Vice President

I
                                                                                                                                                         2
                                                                                                                                           2.576K
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Melissa Marsman
   n some ways, it is hard to believe that we have been           at the feet of our government. I don’t say this to be                                                                                                                                        NSGEU TWEETS                                                              902-495-9010
                                                                                                                                  7.101K                                                         13609          3632      4349               10514                                                                                  Secretary-Treasurer
   living with COVID for an entire year now. In other             political, I am simply stating a fact (see page 14 for                                                                                                                                       Quenta Adams-Coward (@QuentaAC)                                          Darren McPhee
   ways, this past year has felt like an eternity — even          a copy of my remarks, and a link to the video of my                                                                                                                                          Passed by @NSGEU in Burnside during lunch                                 902-449-7778
   though we are fortunate to live here in Nova Scotia,           presentation).                                                                                          21.907K
                                                                                                                                                                                                Health Care (Acute)     Health Care (Community)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               today. Pleased to see they’ve raised the Pan-African
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Education     Government
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               flag for African Heritage Month @JMACL3AN                               Contact NSGEU
where cases have remained low and we have been able               The uncertainty and chaos that have reigned over this                                                                                                                                                                                                                 902-424-4063
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               #BlackHistoryMonth                                                     1-877-556-7438
to enjoy a relatively “normal” life, for the most part.           past year have certainly taken a toll on us all, particularly                                                                                                                                                                                                      inquiry@nsgeu.ca
I want to take a moment to express my deepest                     on our mental health. While mental health is certainly                                 Ages                                                                                                  Lara Fawthrop for Sackville-Cobequid (NDP) (@                              Contributors
appreciation to all of our members: each and every one            another area of our public health care system that is in                               Our data shows that                                                                                   lara_fawthrop)                                                         Holly Fraughton
of you have played such an important role in our COVID            dire need of attention, there are resources available to                               NSGEU members range in
                                                                                                                                                         age from 18 to 60+ (some                                                                              Just now on @infomorning @larochecbc provides a                        Zita Hildebrandt
response and recovery. Whether you are on the “front              members: if you have access to an Employee & Family                                    people did not disclose                                                                               his analysis of Rankin’s accept/speech. This province               Shannon MacIntyre
                                                                                                                                                         their age to us).                                                                                                                                                          David MacKenzie
line” of the hospitals or testing centres; working in the         Assistance Program (EFAP) through your employer,                                                                                                                                             does need to listen to provincial union leadership                      Jason MacLean

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                                                                                                                                                                                          709

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                2751

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         5633

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 3683
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               but how far will the Liberal olive branch reach? @                         Deedee Slye
labs; stationed at the border; working in home care               please don’t hesitate to use it. Additionally, there are                                                               18-25      26-30      31-35    36-44      45-59         60+
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               DannyNSFL @withwozney @cupenovascotia @                                     Lucas Wide
or long-term care facilities; or just doing your normal           a few new initiatives that have been recently launched                                                                                                                                       NSGEU @NanMcFadgen @JMACL3AN
duties, but under very different circumstances: this has          (see page 9 for more information on these programs).                              Contracts                                                                                                                                                             The NSGEU is affiliated with
been an extremely stressful period of time. You have              One of the positive aspects of this pandemic has                                        More than 60 full-time staff at the NSGEU help negotiate and service 87 separate                     The Benny Hill Gong-Show (@TheGongShow76)               the Canadian Labour Congress,
handled yourselves with kindness and professionalism,                                                                                                     collective agreements on behalf of our members.                                                                                                                  the Nova Scotia Federation
                                                                  actually been, for me, the way it has exposed our                                                                                                                                            The students are saying thank you to front line             of Labour, and the National
and done your best to protect the public, yourself and            collective weaknesses. Unions have been beating this                                                                                                                                         medical and long-term care workers today! Lots             Union of Public and General
your loved ones. Thank you.                                       drum for decades, but COVID has very clearly illustrated                                            Where can you nd us?                                                                     of connections to parents, grandparents, and great
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               grandparents!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Employees.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        unionsyeah.ca
In this issue of The Stand, we are featuring the crucial          why public services, such as health care, truly matter.                                             NSGEU members live & work in communities throughout the province:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Thank you for all you do everyday!
                                                                                                                                                                      Metro HRM, Cumberland-Colchester, Cape Breton, Pictou Antigonish
work being done by our members working in Public                  While neoliberal governments have been chipping                                                     Guysborough, the Valley and South Shore.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               @IWKHealth @nshealth @NS_nurses @NSGEU @
Health (see page 4 for this feature). Despite the                 away at the strength of these services, eroding and                                                                                                                                          robertstrang @giles_school
                                                                                                                                                             Metro                                                                              21533
important work they are charged with in creating                  contracting them out as time ticked on, COVID has
healthy communities, supporting families and                      presented an opportunity for us all to reflect on what                              South Shore               2056
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Danny Cavanagh (@DannyNSFL)
responding to communicable diseases, Public Health                really matters to us, collectively, and reprioritize.                                      Valley              2520
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Updated: Nova Scotia Health Authority scraps plan
only receives just over one per cent of our overall health        But change calls for leadership and bold action.                                                                                                                                             to contract U.S.-owned company for health-record
                                                                                                                                            Cumberland-Colchester               2373
budget: NSGEU members who work in this area have                  Fortunately, we have a new Premier at the helm here                                                                                                                                          keeping | SaltWire #NSFL #nslab #canlab #unions
been stretched thin for a very long time, and it has                                                                               Pictou/Antigonish/Guysborough           1585                                                                                #solidarity #novascotia #workers #1u
                                                                  in Nova Scotia. I am cautiously optimistic that Premier
taken a pandemic to shine a spotlight on the ways                                                                                                                                                                                                              @NSGEU @CUPE
                                                                  Rankin will be open to working with unions and the                                  Cape Breton               2429

in which critical public services have been starved of            workers we represent to make positive changes to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The Union Stand is proudly
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       produced by NSGEU with the help
support for a very long time.
                                                                                                            .
                                                                  strengthen and improve our public services.                                                                                                                                                  santina kerslake (@coachsantina)                                  of members of IAMAW
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Replying to @NS_Labour @NSGEU and @cupe                                     Local 2797.
COVID has also shone a very stark spotlight on the crisis         Jason MacLean,                                                                                                                                                 Made with

in long-term care and home care. I made a presentation                                                                                                                                                                                                         This is good news because there is NO WAY they
on this issue to the legislature’s standing committee                                                                                                                                                                                                          should be having this off. We need good jobs here.
on health back in January, making it very clear that the
blame for what happened at Northwood lay squarely                 President, NSGEU

2 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               The Stand | Spring 2021 3
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Feature: Forgotten Frontline                                                                                                                                                                                                  Feature: Forgotten Frontline

Nova Scotia’s Forgotten Frontline: Public Health
W
               hen people think about health care, what
               most often springs to mind is a visit to
               the emergency department; a hospital
               stay; or even an appointment with their
family doctor (if they’re lucky enough to have one). But
                                                           the members of her team manage reportable diseases,
                                                           such as suspected tuberculosis, animal bites (for
                                                           rabies investigations), Group A Strep, HIV/Hepatitis, all
                                                           sexually transmitted infections, bloodborne pathogens,
                                                           salmonella and giardia.
                                                                                                                          Lead and assisted with
                                                                                                                          reporting comprehensive
                                                                                                                          data, ensuring accurate
                                                                                                                          information was getting
                                                                                                                          to Chief Meical Offiver Dr.
                                                                                                                                                         “         I think we kept the public trust.
                                                                                                                                                              Informing clients in a timely way about
                                                                                                                                                                  their negative COVID status built
                                                                                                                                                                the public trust for Nova Scotians to
                                                                                                                                                                continue to get tested – is one piece
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 All that work has been put
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 on hold as these members
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 have been redeployed to the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 COVID Response Team.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Shannon was initially
there’s an entire area of the health care system that is   “Every day is different!” Holly says, laughing, “You           Robert Strang for those             of it. I think that, to me, that was very          assigned to the negative labs

                                                                                                                                                                                                           ”
always busily toiling behind the scenes, supporting and    never really know which diseases are going to be               regular updates we tune in                          meaningful.                        component, which means
protecting Nova Scotians – Public Health.                  coming in, and you do keep a caseload, because some            for on a regular basis.                                                                she was calling clients to
                                                                                                                                                                            -Shannon O’Neil
The NSGEU proudly represents members working in            of the case management is ongoing.”                            “When COVID started,                                                                   advise them of their negative
this area, delivering programs under Public Health         Some of these cases require intense, prolonged                 we still only had the                                                                  COVID-19 results: “That
Units like Healthy Communities; Early Years Support,       follow-up, ensuring patients are well cared for. On top        Communicable Disease                                                                   was incredibly meaningful
Healthy Beginnings; Environmental Health; Population       of this, Holly and her colleagues also coordinate routine      Nurses working,” Holly                                                                 work because you have
Health Assessment                                                                        immunizations for high-risk      recalled, “It was super                                                                to remember that at that
and Surveillance; and                                                                    patients – those who are         challenging, because once                                                              time, there were so many
Communicable Disease                                                                     immunocompromised, have          those cases started coming                                                             people that were isolated,”
Prevention and Control                                                                   a chronic health condition       in, we were like hen’s teeth                                                           Shannon noted, “And even
(Health Protection).                                                                     such as liver disease,           trying to keep up with                                                                 though a negative lab result
There are a variety of                                                                   or diabetes, experience          them, and there was no                                                                 is a quick conversation, you
occupations in this area,                                                                homelessness, use illicit        way that we could be the                                                               have the opportunity to
as well. Members include                                                                 drugs, or are 65 years or        only ones doing the case                                                               connect with the public and
community home visitors,                                                                 older.                           management, especially                                                                 give them some really good
community outreach                                                                                                        considering the amount                                                                 news.”
                                                                                        This means that no two            of detail that the Medical
workers, dental hygienists,                                                             days at work are ever the                                                                                                 “I think we kept the public
public health nutritionists,                                                                                              Officers of Health would                                                                trust. Informing clients in
                                                                                        same.                             look at.”
health promoters,                                                                                                                                                                                                 a timely way about their
administrative professionals,                                                           “It’s busy, it’s unpredictable,   Other non-nursing members                                                               negative COVID status built
Licensed Practical Nurses                                                               and it’s always challenging       of Public Health, like                                                                  the public trust for Nova
(LPNs) and Registered                                                                   me,” Holly said.                  Shannon O’Neill, were                                                                   Scotians to continue to get
Nurses (RNs), just to name                                                              She certainly didn’t predict      quickly brought in to help.                                                             tested – is one piece of it. I
a few.                                                                                  a global pandemic would           Shannon is a Public Health                                                              think that, to me, that was
In addition to their regular                                                            turn everyone’s lives upside      Dental Hygienist who has                                                                very meaningful.”
duties, public health                                                                   down in 2020.                     worked with the NSHA for                                                                 Shannon was made one of
                                                                                                                                                           NSGEU Public Health Dental Hygienist Shannon
members are often the first                                                       When COVID finally arrived              15 years now. She and her        O’Neil                                                 the  Team Leads for negative
people tapped to help in     NSGEU Communicable Disease Nurse Holly Kennedy       in Nova Scotia in March last            colleagues normally take                                                                labs. In that role, it was to
a time of crisis. And during                                                    year, Public Health created               the lead on oral health initiatives, such as the fluoride   support staff who were calling clients to inform them
COVID, they’ve stepped up a                                                     a COVID Response Team.                    mouth rinse programs in elementary schools (fluoride is of their negative test results and they would defer more
big way.                                             If you’re on that team, your only focus is on COVID:                 critical in preventing tooth decay and cavities). They also unique situations that needed a bit of extra support.
                                                     cases, follow-up, any types of requests, like exemptions,            work with nutritionists and health promoters to develop They also give input for improving processes and
                                                     general information, and school follow-up.                           oral health messages for the public, connect with Early     help edit scripts to ensure clients received consistent
ROLLING WITH THE WAVES                                     Holly was one of the many Public Health members                Years team members to develop oral health messaging
                                                                                                                          for young children and assist with content for school
                                                                                                                                                                                      messaging.
Holly Kennedy is a Communicable Disease Nurse              moved out of her normal duties and onto this                                                                               Shannon is no stranger to leadership roles. She is
                                                           COVID Response Team, where she acted as a Team                 newsletters.                                                the Past Chair of the College of Dental Hygienists
working for Public Health in the Eastern Zone. She and

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THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Feature: Forgotten Frontline                                                                                                                                                                                                    Feature: Forgotten Frontline

of Nova Scotia, and in
2017, she represented the
Canadian Dental Hygienists
Association as one of four
hygienists selected to attend
                               “        If there was one message that I could
                                        give to people is that this is not fake.
                                           This is not the government trying
                                         to control you, this is real, and your
                                       health is important. It’s not about the
                                                                                       “I had this conversation
                                                                                       before with a couple of my
                                                                                       coworkers: … the ‘frontline’
                                                                                       designation kind of gets
                                                                                       lost of us, because we don’t
                                                                                                                         deniers and people who unwittingly share articles from
                                                                                                                         disreputable sources.
                                                                                                                         “If there was one message that I could give to people
                                                                                                                         is that this is not fake,” Holly said, “This is not the
                                                                                                                         government trying to control you, this is real, and your
                                                                                                                                                                                       was a close contact to a positive case and we would
                                                                                                                                                                                       give them a call to see if they had had any symptoms
                                                                                                                                                                                       develop, and if they did, we’d be booking them in for
                                                                                                                                                                                       another COVID assessment to see if now they’d become
                                                                                                                                                                                       positive.”
International Dental Hygiene            percentages of people that are going           have patient contact – like       health is important. It’s not about the percentages of        Her most recent job, however, is the most hopeful
Federation Strategy Session.           to pass away … there are people who             direct, hands-on contact –        people that are going to pass away … there are people         one: she is helping set up COVID immunization clinics,
She also helped established                                                            but yet we’re the ones that       who have long-standing illnesses because of COVID …           eagerly awaiting the delivery of vaccines each week.
                                     have long-standing illnesses because of
an oral health assessment                                                              are protecting the hospitals.     that never fully recover. Every single person who passes

                                                                               ”
                                          COVID … that never fully recover.                                                                                                          “Our role now is trying to get these (COVID) clinics up
clinic for Syrian newcomers                                                            We’re the ones that are           away from COVID is somebody’s mom or dad or relative
on behalf of the College                            -Holly Kennedy                     protecting the people. And                                                                    and running with management, so the LPNs and some
                                                                                                                         of some sort: people look at it from a very individualistic of the RNs are clinic leads at the COVID-19 clinics, so
of Dental Hygienists of                                                                I find that kind of gets lost     view when, in reality, we should be looking at it from a
Nova Scotia, and spent a                                                               sometimes.”                                                                                   that is going on-site and working with the engineer
                                                                                                                         community lens.”                                            to have clinic flow set up, working with the site lead
year working as a health                                                               Being part of the provincial
promoter in Public Health,                                                                                                                                                           with infection control, occupational health to make
                                                             COVID team has also allowed members of Public Health

                                                                                                                                                         “
after taking her graduate certificate in Public Health.                                                                                                                              sure these clinics meet all of the standards and then we
But being on the COVID Response Team is the first time
                                                             to work with other professionals outside of their team
                                                            and geographic area.
                                                                                                                         SHIFTING FROM                                                                            get those up and going by
                                                                                                                                                                 At our first clinic that we stood up at getting the appointments for
she’s had an opportunity to take on a Team Lead role        “If there was one thing that I could say was a really        RESPONSE TO                            Valley Regional Hospital, when we had phase zero clients,” Angie
with her employer.                                                                     positive thing that I loved       RECOVERY                               that first huddle and we realized what explained.
                                                                                                                                                                 we were about to do, there was a lot
“So dental hygienists                                                                  from this experience                                                                                                           Shannon and other Dental
in NSHA showed up in                                                                   would be getting to               Angie Chasse-Naugler has                 of camaraderie there. There was a lot
                                                                                                                         been a Licensed Practical                                                                    Hygienists have also been
leadership roles that they                                                             know everybody in health                                                 of emotion, because we thought, ‘could shifted into the immunization
hadn’t had very much                                                                   protection across the             Nurse (LPN) for around 20
                                                                                                                                                                 we be actually now seeing the light at clinics, working in the
opportunity (to take on                                                                province … I really enjoyed       years, and has spent 12
                                                                                                                                                                           the end of this tunnel?                    recovery area to monitor
these roles before). It just                                                           my team and I really enjoyed      years of her nursing career
                                                                                                                         with Public Health, where                  We’re all tired, but we’re all very               clients once they have
never came up for those                                                                the people that I met,” Holly

                                                                                                                                                                                                           ”
                                                                                                                         she helps run the school                   excited that we’re actually finally               received their dose to ensure
types of opportunities in                                                              said.                                                                                                                          they don’t have an adverse
the past, so that was really                                                                                             immunization program                         getting needles into arms.
                                                                                        The work hasn’t been             and the enhanced vision                                                                      reaction (this is standard
important to the profession,                                                            without its challenges,                                                            -Angie Chase-Naugler                       practice after receiving any
I think, just to demonstrate                                                                                             screening program for the
                                                                                        though.                          Western Region (Lunenburg                                                                    vaccine, including the annual
those core competencies.”                                                                                                                                                                                             flu shot). Dental Hygienists
                                                                                        “The work was severely           and Queens County). Her
Both Holly and Shannon                                                                  frustrating and the public       team oversees the planning and implementation of             were    a natural fit for this role because they are required
say the experience has been                                                             response and the tooth-          the grade seven immunization program, immunizing             to  renew   their health   care provider  CPR certification
rewarding in many ways.                                                                 and-claw that you had to         young Nova Scotians against meningitis (meningococcal annually.
“It feels good, on one level.                                                           fight with in order to get       quadrivalent vaccine), hepatitis B, HPV, and tetanus.        So, Shannon found herself working at the very first
It feels interesting to know                                                            some people to isolate or to     Of course, that was pre-COVID.                               vaccination clinic for health care workers back in
that you’re kind of making                                                              contact trace, that stuff was                                                                 December.
history, almost. You were on                                                            hard,” she added.                Since the pandemic began, Angie has had her work
                                                                                                                         duties and hours changed more than a few times. Like         “It was a real honour to be there at that first vaccine
the frontlines – well, second                                                             Another frustrating aspect                                                                  clinic, to see the health care providers receive their
lines, I’d say! We don’t work NSGEU LPN Angie Chase-Naugler                                                              Shannon and Holly, she was initially helping with doing
                                                                                         of their work has been seeing   negative lab calls, phoning hundreds of Nova Scotians        vaccine,” Shannon recalled, “They’ve been working so
directly (with patients), but                                                            misinformation posted online                                                                 hard to take care of the public during this time, that it
we’re the ones that are calling the cases, we’re the ones about COVID cases in their community, and general              each day.
                                                                                                                                                                                      just felt like an honour to be there to help.”
that are listening to them cry, we’re the ones that are   information about the pandemic. Health care workers            “When a client went and had a swab done and they
completing their contract tracing and trying to make                                                                     came back negative, we would call them and provide           It’s also given some optimism to health care workers,
                                                          have to be very careful about what they post online -                                                                       who are exhausted from working through a pandemic
sure it doesn’t spread throughout the province,” Holly    even if it is just to correct inaccuracies. In most cases,     advisement on what to do for self-monitoring, and
paused.                                                   they just have to ignore posts by anti-maskers, science        things like that,” Angie explained, “That quickly moved for the past year.
                                                                                                                         into daily monitoring calls: so it could be a client that    “At our first clinic that we stood up at Valley Regional

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THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Feature: Forgotten Frontline                                                                                                                                                                                  Feature: Forgotten Frontline/Mental Health Resources

Hospital, when we had that first huddle and we                                                                              aren’t being released from their current assignments for    of the members in Public Health over the past year,
realized what we were about to do, there was a lot of                                                                       months, because their area in acute care is already so      hoping to alleviate some of the stresses they’ve been
camaraderie there. There was a lot of emotion, because      CARING FOR THE CAREGIVERS                                       short-staffed.                                              experiencing.
we thought, ‘could we be actually now seeing the light      This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve called on our         Still, members like Angie are hopeful that now that         One thing is certain: heading into bargaining, COVID
at the end of this tunnel?’” Angie said.                    Public Health members to step into the void during a            Public Health has been pushed into the spotlight            has helped the union identify a variety of issues that
“We’re all tired, but we’re all very excited that we’re     health emergency: they have also been on the front              because of COVID, government may finally                    need to be addressed urgently. And we will be bringing

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            .
actually finally getting needles into arms.”                lines during H1N1, SARS, mumps and other outbreaks.             start funding this area of the health care system           these issues to the bargaining table.
                                                            “You do the work that’s focused around your                     appropriately.
A TEAM EFFORT                                               profession, as it relates to Public Health, but then there’s    Despite the
Regardless of these struggles, Public Health members        always an expectation that if there’s an outbreak or            broad scope and
are quick to credit others for the important role they      different work, then you move into supporting that.             significance of the
have played in helping keep Nova Scotians safe during       So you have to be flexible … that’s part of the way we          work they do to
this time.                                                  work,” Shannon explained.                                       keep the public
“The community has really come together and we’ve all       But the severity and scale of the COVID-19 pandemic             safe, Public Health
understood the importance of how we need to protect         have resulted in an all-hands-on-deck response that has         receives less than
one another,” Angie said.                                   lasted for more than 12 months now, and it is taking its        one per cent of the
                                                            toll on these workers.                                          overall budget from
Because of that, Angie and her colleagues have been                                                                         the Department
able to continue some of the important “normal”             Holly worked in acute care, mental health & addictions,         of Health and
work that they normally do. In fact, Angie points out       and even did a stint in Continuing Care before coming           Wellness.
that Nova Scotia was one of the only provinces in the       to working for Public Health about two years ago.
country that was able to hold our school immunization       While she enjoys the unpredictable and independent              In fact, a paper was
clinics, because our case numbers were so low.              nature of her role as a Communication Disease Nurse,            recently published
                                                            she isn’t sure how much longer she will be able to stay         in the Canadian
“I’m just proud that we’re all taking this seriously                                                                        Journal of Public
and we’re all looking out for one another … when            in this role.
                                                                                                                            Health, pointing
you’re hearing those ‘travel-related’ (cases), they are     She was shifted back to her pre-COVID role back in              out that the one
self-isolating and trying to keep everyone safe. I’m just   November. Since then, the workload has become                   per cent of funding Danielle Sheaves, a registered nurse with the COVID-19 unit at the
proud to be a Nova Scotian right now – I think a lot of     unbearable, and even though the employer added                  Public Health         QEII is the first person in Nova Scotia to receive the Pfizer-BioNtech
us are.”                                                    another person to her team, four coworkers are off,             receives here in      COVID-19 vaccine on December 16th, 2020. LPN Jennifer Turcot
Angie attributes much of our success to the leadership      either on leaves or redeployed to another area.                 Nova Scotia is well   provided the first vaccine. (Photo credit: Communications Nova Scotia)
of Dr. Strang and the work of her colleagues in Public      The situation on Holly’s team is not uncommon within            below the five to six
Health, who ran with the processes developed by the         Public Health right now. All over the province, NSGEU           per cent of health care funding that is recommended.
Chief Medical Officer, doing daily check-ins and close      members who work in Public Health are reporting                 Furthermore, the report found the last time our Public
monitoring of people.                                       astronomical amounts of overtime, frequent changes              Health budget met the recommended funding levels
“I think just as Nova Scotians, we’ve been through so       to their schedules and shifts, cancelled vacations and          was in 1975.
much in the past year. I mean, we had a lot of tragedy      more. It all has added up to mounting stress and                “More money and resources need to be put into Public
and loss. In that, I just feel like Nova Scotia has been    burnout for these workers.                                      Health so we can continue to manage things like this,
brought closer together, so now we’re more protective       There are simply not enough people to do the work.              because unfortunately – we hope this never happens
and more supportive of one another, now more than           As a result, sick leave and STI rates have risen drastically.   again – but we can’t say for certain that it won’t, so we
ever.”                                                                                                                      need to be more prepared, absolutely,” Angie said.
                                                            All of these factors clearly demonstrate the need for an
Despite the chaos of the past year, Shannon is proud to     increased capacity in the sector.                               “I am so thankful that NSGEU has taken on this
have been a part of Nova Scotia’s pandemic response                                                                         government and taken them to task, because this
and recovery: “It’s all meaningful to me because I know     While Public Health has hired 100 new nurses, plus              government needs to be taken to task. We have
I’m doing my part to combat COVID-19 and protect the        more administrative professionals, to help with our             suffered in health care under this government, that’s
health of the public. This is my job, to brighten up the    COVID response, these are temporary positions, and              how I feel.”
future again.”                                              many of the successful applicants are internal hires from
                                                            acute care within NSHA. In many cases, these members            The NSGEU has already filed grievances on behalf

8 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                                         The Stand | Spring 2021 9
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Making HIStory                                                                                                                                                                                                              Making HIStory

Making HIStory: Union Campaign                                                                                    be competitive or that it will adequately protect
                                                                                                                  citizens’ private health information. As we know, this
                                                                                                                  government has repeatedly failed to protect personal,
                                                                                                                                                                            staff on December 11th- ten days earlier.
                                                                                                                                                                            “Which is it? It can’t be both,” asked MacLean.
                                                                                                                                                                            “Members are told a decision has been made on
Saves 91 Jobs                                                                                                     private information (see repeated FOIPOP database
                                                                                                                  failures).
                                                                                                                                                                            December 11th and read on December 23rd that no
                                                                                                                                                                            decision has been made. There is a lot of confusion and
                                                                                                                  On December 11th, the NSHA sent a memo to the             fear and, frankly, Nova Scotia Health has really dropped
                                                                                                                  affected members,                                                                       the ball. It’s up to them

U
           nions fight for                                                           The NSHA was planning to     formally advising them                                                                  to clarify what is going
           many things for                                                           eliminate these jobs and     that: “Following a                                                                      on because these people
           our members:                                                              hand the work over to an     thorough review of our                                                                  deserve to know what is
           better wages,                                                             American-owned private       current situation and                                                                   really going on with their
benefits, and working                                                                company, Iron Mountain,      alternatives, a decision has                                                            jobs.”
conditions. All are                                                                  as an untendered contract.   been made to shift our                                                                  Finally, after an agonizing
undeniably important                                                                                              scanning and archiving                                                                 wait for the members, the
                                                                                     The NSGEU immediately        service to an external
aspects of a contract. But                                                           informed the provincial                                                                                             unions received word on
at the end of the day, the                                                                                        vendor”, and that “As                                                                  January 22nd that NSHA
                                                                                     government of the NSHA’s     a member of our Health
most vital provision is job                                                          plan to contract out this                                                                                           had decided to halt their
security language.                                                                                                Records team, you will be                                                              plan to contract out the
                                                                                     work, who were unaware       directly affected by this
Job security language                                                                of the health authority’s                                                                                           members’ work.
                                                                                                                  change.” A copy of the
effectively makes it                                                                 plan, but ultimately,        memo can be accessed                                                                   The unions had always
difficult for an employer to                                                         government was prepared      here.                                                                                  maintained the position
eliminate jobs by making it                                                          to allow the employer to                                                                                            that the work of HIS
an expensive and onerous                                                             proceed.                     Then, for weeks, they gave                                                             members is invaluable,
task.                                                                                                             these members no further                                                               and it appears that the
                                                                                     “It was an insult to these   information on the layoffs,
The NSGEU has fought                                                                 health care workers who                                                                                             NSHA finally came to
                                                                                                                  and left them to wait in                                                               understand the important
for the best possible job                                                            have been helping to keep    limbo to find out their
security language at the                                                             our health care system                                                                                              role they play in our health
                                                                                                                  fate.                                                                                  care system. This was an
bargaining table over the                                                            secure and operational
years, always with the                                                               throughout this              Meanwhile, the NSGEU                                                                   exercise in the strength
hope that we won’t need                                                              pandemic,” said NSGEU        and CUPE were working                                                                  of solidarity -- and the
to put it into use. Recently,                                                        President Jason MacLean.     together to submit                                                                     importance of maintaining
however, that language                                                                                            a response to the                                                                      strong job security
                                                                                     It’s also worth noting       government’s plan, taking                                                              language in our collective
was instrumental in saving                                                           that these layoffs were

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  .
jobs within our health care                                                                                       the opportunity to point                                                               agreements!
                                                                                     announced against the        out its many flaws, and
system.                                                                              backdrop of a global         raising a number of
In late 2020, the Nova                                                               pandemic, when everyone      questions the employer
Scotia Health Authority                                                              was also faced with an       had failed to consider or
(NSHA), advised the union                                                            enormous amount of stress    answer. A copy of the
that 91 members working                                                              and uncertainty.             report we produced can
in Health Information Services (HIS), scanning and      “This employer and government should be focused on        be found here: A Matter of Trust – A Review of NSHA’s
archiving medical records at 24 hospitals throughout    supporting workers and our communities, especially at     Quiet Plan to Hand Control of Nova Scotians’ Health
the province, were facing potential layoffs. Members    this uncertain time,” MacLean pointed out.                Information to an American Company
working in Central and Western zones were NSGEU
members, and members working in Northern and            Aside from the unions’ obvious concerns about their       In response to our report and the negative media
Eastern zones were CUPE members. The majority of the    members’ job security, there were also scores of other    attention it garnered, the NSHA issued a public
members affected work in rural parts of the province,   concerns: by failing to fairly tender a contract, the     statement saying, “the decision to outsource these jobs
and 84 are women.                                       employer could not guarantee the contract would           has not yet been made, we’re merely “exploring it….”.
                                                                                                                  This statement clearly contradicted the memo sent to

10 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                     The Stand | Spring 2021 11
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Health Care Update                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Bill 148 Update

Health Care Bargaining Update                                                                                          Update on Bill 148 Legal Challenge
                                                                                                                                                                                       BACKGROUND ON BILL 148

T                                                                                                                      O
         he collective agreement for members of our        of Health Care Unions does not expect this round of                    n January 15 , 2021, the Court of Appeal
                                                                                                                                               th
                                                                                                                                                                                       Stephen McNeil’s Liberal government proclaimed Bill
         Health Care bargaining unit (which includes       bargaining will be as prolonged as the previous round,                 released a decision in which it denied the           148 – the Public Service Sustainability Act in 2017.
         members of Locals 100, 122, 195, 193 & 104)       as the councils now have merged collective agreements                  Unions’ request to file evidence in the              This piece of legislation did three things that interfere
         expired on October 31st, 2020. NSGEU started      in place.                                                              constitutional reference, including affidavits       with your right to full, free, collective bargaining:
preparations for bargaining shortly after the expiration   As a result of the new Health Authorities Act passed        from the union negotiators about the impact of Bill 148
of this agreement, sending out our membership surveys                                                                  on collective bargaining, expert evidence on the effect         1. It imposed a non-negotiated wage pattern on
                                                           by the provincial government in 2014, which merged                                                                          the entire public sector (0%, 0%, 1.0%, 1.5% & an
in December and                                                                            the nine district health    that taking wages and important monetary benefits
reviewing the results                                                                                                  off the table has on a union’s bargaining power, expert         additional 0.5% on the last day of the agreement);
                                                                                           authorities into one, all
early in the new year.                                                                     four unions (NSGEU,         evidence on the protection of collective bargaining in          2. It removed long-standing articles from the Civil
The NSGEU Health Care                                                                      CUPE, Unifor & NSNU)        international law, expert evidence on the Province’s            Service master agreement (ending the retirement
bargaining committee                                                                       now must bargain in         finances during the relevant time, and the Cabinet              allowance/public service award as of April 1, 2015);
members then began                                                                         four Councils: Health       documents that show that the Province had a legislative         3. Prohibiting an arbitrator from awarding anything
drafting NSGEU’s                                                                           Care, Administrative        plan in place before bargaining began.                          above the above-noted wage pattern.
bargaining proposals                                                                       Professionals, Support      This is obviously very disappointing, as the Court will go
and brought these                                                                          Services, and Nursing.      on to decide the constitutionality of Bill 148 based only
proposals to the larger                                                                    NSGEU appoints the          on the evidence filed by the Province.                          Even before government proclaimed the Bill into
Health Care bargaining                                                                     Chief Negotiator for                                                                        force, the threat of legislation hobbled the unions’
                                                                                                                       However, the Unions will be asking the Supreme Court            bargaining power and prevented us from being
council, which includes                                                                    the Health Care Council     of Canada for permission to appeal the decision of the
representatives from                                                                       and has the majority of                                                                     able to freely conclude the collective bargaining
                                                                                                                       Nova Scotia Court of Appeal. The “application for leave”        process, because it took away the leverage of wages
CUPE and Unifor, on                                                                        bargaining committee        will be filed with the Supreme Court of Canada by March
February 10th. At that                                                                     members (NSGEU 6,                                                                           and monetary items like the service award off the
                                                                                                                       15th, 2021.                                                     table completely. After a significant amount of time
meeting, the unions                                                                        CUPE 3, Unifor 1).
shared their proposals                                                                                                 In the meantime, the Court of Appeal has set dates for          with very little progress in bargaining at any major
                                                                                           NSGEU’s                     the hearing of the constitutional reference: September          tables, the NSGEU announced in late summer 2017
and began deciding       A few of the NSGEU Health Care bargaining unit                    representatives are:
which proposals we       representatives: Cindy Smith, Chris Weaver & Sara Jane Arason
                                                                                                                       22nd and 23rd, 2021.                                            that it would apply to the Labour Board to appoint
would bring forward                                                                        • Chief Negotiator          If the Supreme Court of Canada grants the Unions                an Interest Arbitration Board to settle the Civil
to the employers (IWK and NSHA). The Council has                                           is NSGEU Director of        permission to appeal the evidentiary decision of the Court      Service Master Agreement, as is our right under the
scheduled two additional meetings to finalize its         Servicing and Negotiations,   Shawn  Fuller;                 of Appeal, the Unions will ask that the September hearing       legislation that applied. Government proclaimed the
proposals and strategy.                                   • Co-Chair is Allan LaPierre;                                dates before the Court of Appeal be adjourned pending           legislation to prevent the interest arbitrator from
                                                                                                                       the hearing before the Supreme Court of Canada.                 awarding any monetary increases that were higher
The Council, which is led by NSGEU, began asking the       • Chris Weaver;                                                                                                             than was set out in the legislation.
employers for bargaining dates in December 2020.           • Cindy Smith;                                              It is important to note that the Supreme Court of Canada
After several further attempts to secure bargaining                                                                    only grants permission to appeal in a small number of           Since the legislation was passed, the NSGEU has
dates, the employer recently confirmed bargaining          • Peter Perry;                                              cases involving matters of national and public importance.      been working hard alongside seven other unions
dates. The parties have agreed to exchange proposals       • Uta Berthold-Brush;                                       The Unions believe that the decision of the Court of            who represent unionized workers to try and have this
on Thursday, April 15th. We have eight additional dates                                                                Appeal is a matter of national and public importance,           unjust legislation overturned by the courts.
                                                           • Sara Jane Arason.
scheduled for bargaining, with the final date scheduled                                                                given that it means that the constitutionality of legislation   The unions’ argument is that Bill 148 breaches
for Thursday, May 13th.                                    The Health Care Council has also begun work on              that interferes with collective bargaining can be               Section 2(d) of the Charter, which guarantees
                                                           negotiating essential services agreements with              determined in a reference without receiving any evidence        Canadians Freedom of Association and protects the
The Executive Council of Health Care Unions, which is      employer representatives from the IWK and NSHA.

                                                                                                                                                                .
made of the leadership of all four unions representing                                                                 from the affected unions or their members.                      right to collective bargaining and the right to strike.
                                                           These agreements determine the number of employees
health care workers across the province, and the NSGEU     who must remain at work in the event of a strike. The                                                                       The unions knew pursuing legal action would be
Board of Directors both agreed to select Health Care       IWK essential service agreement is complete, and the                                                                        a slow process, and that has proven to be true,
as lead table in bargaining for this round. The Council                                                                                                                                especially since the government is delaying every step
                                                                                                          .

                                                           negotiations for the NSHA agreement are ongoing.
                                                                                                                                                                                       of the way.

12 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                               The Stand | Spring 2021 13
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Health Committee LTC                                                                                                                                                          Health Committee LTC

Presentation to Health Committee on LTC
In mid-January, members of the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Health heard from five union leaders, as
well as the managing director of the Nursing Homes of Nova Scotia Association, about what happened in long-
term care facilities during COVID. NSGEU’s President, Jason MacLean, made the following presentation to the            Because we still face the same systemic
committee:                                                                                                             issues that have been raised by workers in
                                                                                                                       this sector for a very long time.
                                                                                                                       Band-aid solutions, like providing bursaries
Good afternoon.                                            At the outset of this pandemic, when we tried to            and creating a new, lower-paid position
As President of the NSGEU and 1st Vice President of        raise critical concerns from frontline workers, not only    in the sector, are not going to solve the
the Nova Scotia Federation Labour, I proudly represent     did government ignore us, they accused us of fear-          problem.
thousands of people working in the continuing care         mongering and hyperbole.
                                                                                                                       In short, we need more trained and
sector.                                                    Then, 53 people died.                                       qualified staff to work in this sector. They
Many work in long-term care facilities throughout this     Systemic underfunding is the root cause of all that is      need to want to work in this sector. The
province. Interestingly, we actually represent none of     wrong with our long-term care sector.                       work they do is hard work: it is physical; it
the workers                                                                                            We have a       is incredibly stressful; and it is certainly not
at the                                                                                                 government      glamorous. They make approximately $18
Northwood                                                                                              that has        an hour for their efforts.
Halifax                                                                                                been fixated    In some communities, they need to work
campus. But                                                                                            for eight       in multiple facilities to cobble together
many of our                                                                                            years on        enough to make a living and support their
members                                                                                                balancing       families.
were forced                                                                                            their budget
to go work                                                                                                             In other areas, they are so understaffed
                                                                                                       at any cost.    that they cannot get vacation time
there during
the first                                                                                              Now, we         approved.
wave of                                                                                                can clearly     The sector needs to be completely
COVID,                                                                                                 see what        reformed so we can actually keep people
when the                                                                                               the true        in this occupation.
virus was                                                                                              cost of that
                                                                                                       balanced        In many ways, government’s reaction to
ravaging the                                                                                                           long-term care during the pandemic was
facility.                                                                                              budget was.
                                                                                                                       simply indicative of how it views the sector
What                                                                                                  In our report,   in normal times: it is an afterthought.
happened at                                                                                           Neglecting
                President MacLean gave a presentation to the legislature’s standing committee on      Northwood,       Our seniors and our workers deserve much
Northwood                                                                                                              better.
                Health.                                                                               we clearly
was a
tragedy, no                                                                                           outline the      Long-term care and home care must be
doubt, but it was a preventable tragedy.                  systemic  problems  that came to light during COVID,         thought of as part of our overall public
                                                          including the fact that management from Northwood            health care system.
To be clear, the staff at Northwood are not to blame for approached this government for three consecutive
what happened there.                                                                                                   Our government needs to take full
                                                          years, asking for funding to modernize their facility to     responsibility for what happened at
Government is.                                            make it safer for residents and staff.                       Northwood, and invest in reforming this
For years, they have ignored the cries of workers and      Those requests were denied.                                 system, if they truly want to ensure Nova
the unions who represent them, trying to call attention    Make no mistake: what happened at Northwood could           Scotians are protected.
to crisis in the sector, all while cutting the long-term   have happened at just about any long-term care facility
                                                                                                                       .
care budgets.                                              in our province. It still could.

14 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                The Stand | Spring 2021 15
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Interview: NUPGE President Larry Brown                                                                                                                                                                    Interview: NUPGE President Larry Brown

An Interview with NUPGE President Larry                                                                               by an overtly racist US President, demonstrations in        The pandemic has exposed many holes in our public

Brown: Covid 19’s Impact on Canada                                                                                    solidarity with people of colour and against police
                                                                                                                      violence sprung up in cities across the US and Canada.
                                                                                                                                                                                  system and Larry sees these as potential opportunities
                                                                                                                                                                                  for us as Canadians. For example, it exposed:
                                                                                                                      This sparked people and organizations to renew their        •The need for the expansion of public health care and

O
                                                                                                                      anti-racism work alongside

                                                                                                                                                    “
                                                                                                                                                                                                               the Canada Health Act to
           ur National Union (NUPGE) is a union        “If you think back to when the pandemic began, we              the Black Lives Matter                                                                   include long-term care and
           of provincial unions - from BC, Alberta,    had a great number of people who were suddenly sent            movement to continue to                 These are opportunities because we               home care;
           Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Ontario, New     home and told they have to work from home without              work towards an equitable               no longer have to spend time trying to
           Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland, and us in     a whole bunch of rules. The same thing was happening           and just world. Our own                                                                  •The need to address
                                                                                                                                                              convince people of the problems. Now,            income inequality as we
Nova Scotia. Among other things, it is where our union in every province. I mean, at that time, we didn’t             NSGEU President, Jason                  our task is to convince them of the
goes to find out                                                                             have a whole             MacLean, is the Chair of                                                                 saw people on the lower

                                                                                                                                                                                                     ”
                                                                                                                                                             solutions. So that is a move forward.             end of the income scale
what is happening                                                                            lot of guidance          NUPGE’s new Anti-Racism
to members like                                                                              for people who           Special Committee which                                                                  suffering more job loss,
ours across the                                                                              were abruptly            provides an opportunity                                                                  more income loss, and
country. NUPGE                                                                               transitioned to          for all components to learn                                                              more illness during this
has been a source                                                                            work from home.          from one another and                                                                     period of time;
of information                                                                               At the same time,        share knowledge.                                                                         •The need to have a robust
and strength for                                                                             we had a whole           “The pandemic has exposed fundamental weaknesses            national childcare program. When    the pandemic hit,
its 11 component                                                                             lot of workers who       in our existing federal political/economic system here in   there wasn’t  a business who didn’t  notice how crucially
and three affiliate                                                                          were told they had       Canada,” Larry continues. It has become clear to most       important childcare was to their being able to function.
unions since it was                                                                          to go to work.           Canadians now that we need the federal government          “These are opportunities because we no longer have to
formed in 1976.                                                                              These are people         to play a stronger role developing and tracking national   spend time trying to convince people of the problems,”
NUPGE’s role                                                                                 like our health          standards for care and                                                                   he says. “Now, our task
facilitating                                                                                 care workers,            public services in a                                                                     is to convince them of
communication,                                                                               correctional             number of areas.                                                                         the solutions. So that is a
connection and                                                                               workers, liquor
                                                                                                                      “Take support for victims                                                                move forward.”
support between                                                                              store workers,
                                                                                             long-term care,          of domestic violence,”                                                                    In this spirit, NUPGE is
workers across the                                                                                                    Larry explains. “It was
                                                                                             and home care                                                                                                      lobbying for a “new
country has only                                                                                                      clear to us [NUPGE] that
                                                                                             workers. For them,                                                                                                 normal” to emerge out
grown stronger                                                                                                        domestic violence was
                                                                                             it was a whole                                                                                                     of this pandemic – where
and more pressing                                                                                                     going to increase as a
                                                                                             set of different                                                                                                   people and corporations
through the                                                                                                           result of being forced
                                                                                             questions about                                                                                                    pay their fair share of
Pandemic. Larry                                                                                                       to work from home. It
                                                                                             how do we do                                                                                                       taxes and where our
Brown, President   NUPGE President Larry Brown at the NSGEU 2019 Convention.
                                                                                                                      doesn’t take a rocket
                                                                                             our jobs well and                                                                                                  provincial governments
of NUPGE                                                                                                              scientist to reason that if
                                                                                             safely in the midst                                                                                                are given enough
explains, “we have                                                                                                    you have increased stress,
                                                       of a pandemic?” Larry recalls.                                                                                                                           targeted federal dollars
always known that there is a great similarity between                                                                 combined with people                                                                      to maintain strong public
what a long-term care worker does, as an example, in     Connecting people is one important piece of what             working in confined         NUPGE President Larry Brown speaks at a Bill 1 protest in     services. The new normal
Sydney, Nova Scotia and in Victoria, British Columbia.   NUPGE does, but NUPGE is also looking to help raise          spaces and an increasing    Halifax.                                                      would see public services
What we did was to bring members together more           awareness and develop solutions to issues that are           use of alcohol – it is a                                                                  being made a priority.
often so they could share information about Personal     identified in these calls. Larry says, “Our job is to come   recipe that will increase
Protective Equipment (PPE); health & safety pandemic     in behind and say, “Okay, given what you have shared,                                                                  NUPGE is one of the ten largest Canadian unions in
                                                                                                                      domestic violence. Once we identified this as an issue,   the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and as such,
protocols; work-from-home conditions; and more.          here is the role that NUPGE can play moving the issues       we found out there was no agency we could turn to, to Larry, as President, has a seat on the Executive Council.
Prior to the pandemic, we were holding meetings with     you have identified forward.”                                address it. There was too much of a vacuum. We had
the leadership three or four times a year. This moved                                                                                                                           In February 2021, members of the Executive met in a
                                                         One initiative was the creation of an Anti-Racism            some protections for women in some provinces but no
to monthly meetings or even more frequently when                                                                                                                                pre-budget consultation with Deputy Prime Minister/
                                                         Special Committee following the murder of George             systemic way to really address this looming threat across Minister of Finance, Christia Freeland. During this
required.”                                               Floyd on May 25th, 2020, in the United States. Fanned        the country.”

16 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                            The Stand | Spring 2021 17
THE STAND - Public Health Nova Scotia's Forgotten Frontline: NSGEU
Interview: NUPGE President Larry Brown                                                                                                                                                                                             Provincial Politics

meeting, Larry spoke
to Freeland about the
need for strong federal
                                                                                             out of the pandemic.
                                                                                             “The conversation can’t        New Liberal Premier Iain Rankin
                                                                                             be about what we are
standards of care and                                                                        going to cut, but needs
federal regulations. He                                                                      to be how are we going

                                                                                                                            T
points out how important                                                                     to pay for what we                     he Nova Scotia legislature has reconvened on      days of his government give the impression that he
it is that Freeland heard                                                                    spent and are spending.                Tuesday March 9th, 2021, one day shy of the       wants to lead a more open, responsive and collaborative
from provincial unions                                                                       In order to do this, we                one year anniversary since Nova Scotia’s MLAs     style of Government.
who represent actual                                                                         have to have a discussion              last gathered.                                                           Its very early in Premier
working people because                                                                       about taxes,” he recalls
she will be hearing the                                                                                                     A lot has happened over the                                                      Rankin’s tenure, but to date
                                                                                             saying to Freeland.
exact opposite from                                                                                                         last year. The world has faced                                                   he has worked to change
Premiers who want to                                                                         Larry was pleased that         sudden changes in dealing                                                        the tone in the way he deals
hold the purse-strings.                                                                      although Minister              with the COVID-19 epidemic.                                                      with media and conducts
“Jason Kenny, Brian                                                                          Freeland didn’t openly         While Nova Scotia has fared                                                      his political discourse. Nova
Pallister, Scott Moe..                                                                       agree with him, she            well during the pandemic, it is                                                  Scotians have yet to see what
all those guys. They                                                                         didn’t disagree either         safe to say everyone is feeling                                                  a Rankin budget will look like,
would love to maintain                                                                       and came back at the           the impact it has had on                                                         however, his Finance Minister
control of the money                                                                         end of the meeting             everyone’s life. Over the last                                                   has stated clearly that no one
                              NUPGE President Larry Brown speaks at a 2019 Board of          to say, “Larry, I agree
and allocate it as they see Directors meeting at NSGEU.                                                                     year everything has changed:                                                     should be expecting to see staff
fit. But we want national                                                                   with  you that income           the way we live, the way we                                                      reductions, program cuts or a
standards so that people                                                                    inequality is really not        work and the way we relate to                                                    return to the fiscal austerity of
get the same level of care across the country.”           that  complicated.”                                               each other. As well, families                                                    the McNeil government.
                                                          Although there are challenges everyday, Larry sees this           across Nova Scotia have had to                                                   As union members and
Larry wants members to watch out for the term
                                                          time optimistically. “It’s a seize the moment time for us,        deal with the loss of loved ones                                                 progressives, we should give
“provincial jurisdiction” and says provincial leaders
                                                          isn’t it? All of the issues we have been talking about are        taken by COVID-19.                                                               a new government a chance
throw that word up when the federal government
proposes national standards, programs or strategies –     so self-evident now. We will make progress coming out             Politically, another big change                                                  to show us and Nova Scotians
like childcare and                                                                         of this – I’ll tell you that.”   that comes with the reopening                                                    how they will govern. At the

                                  “
pharmacare. He                                                                              We are stronger together        of the Legislature is that                                                       same time, we all must remain
argues, “why anyone                                                                         – 400,000 strong from           Premier Stephen McNeil has                                                       vigilant and prepared to fight
would not accept                          Jason Kenny, Brian Pallister, Scott               coast-to-coast. Thank you       stepped down as Liberal leader                                                   against any move that would
a national standard                       Moe.. all those guys. They would love             NUPGE, for being there to       and premier. On February                                                         bring us back to the McNeil
on childcare? Why                         to maintain control of the money                  connect and support us          6th, the Hon. Iain Rankin was                                                    days.
would you not                             and allocate it as they see fit. But we           through this pandemic.          elected as the new Leader of                                                     Premier Rankin has a choice.
accept a national                        want national standards so that people                                             the Nova Scotia Liberal Party                                                    He can decide to simply
                                                                                            If you are interested in

                                                                               ”
standard on health                       get the same level of care across the                                              and was sworn in as Premier                                                      continue as simply a subsidiary
                                                                                            more information about
care or pharmacare?                      country.                                           the issue of income
                                                                                                                            on February 23rd.                                                                of “McNeil’s Movers” or chart
Canadians don’t                                                                             inequality among other          The Nova Scotia Government &                                                     his own course as “Rankin’s
care about these                                                                            campaigns, please visit:        General Employees Union’s and                                                    Renovators” for the benefit of
jurisdictional                                                                              https://unionsyeah.ca/fact-     labour in general has faced countless attacks from the    all Nova Scotians.
arguments. We all                                                                                                           McNeil government since its coming to power in 2013.
                                                                                                 .

                                                                                                                                                                                .
                                                                                            sheets
want programs and                                                                                                           Countless pieces of anti labour legislation and what
support.”                                                                                                                   felt like a complete disdain for public sector workers.
Labour rights, strong taxation and public programs                                                                          The new Premier was first elected in 2013, when the
are three quarters of the battle on income inequality.                                                                      Stephen McNeil government was first elected. Premier
During the meeting with Freeland in February, Larry                                                                         Rankin was a backbencher and voted to support every
was also able to talk about fair taxation as a part of a                                                                    anti-labour bill hammered through the Legislature by
conversation about reducing income inequality coming                                                                        Stephen McNeil. However, Rankins Campaign and early

18 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                                                                             The Stand | Spring 2021 19
Black Loyalist Heritage Centre                                                                                                                                         Black Loyalist Heritage Centre

Nova Scotia history is alive at the                                                                                   They landed in 1783 in Birchtown, near
                                                                                                                      Shelburne. For a time, it was the largest
                                                                                                                      free Black colony in the world.

Black Loyalist Heritage Centre                                                                                        In reality, many Loyalists did not receive
                                                                                                                      land grants as promised. Those who
                                                                                                                      did receive them had to adhere to strict
                                                                                                                      conditions in order to keep them. Many
                                                                                                                      Loyalists could not meet these conditions
                                                                                                                      as they could not work the land because

I
   f you haven’t been to the Black Loyalist Heritage      at the Centre if you book ahead. You can call and visit     they were too poor and were indentured
   Centre in Birchtown, Nova Scotia, it is time you       between 10am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday. Currently,         and working in Shelburne. They were
   visited! It is a wonderful way to spend the day        the Centre is not open on the weekend, but that could       constantly taken advantage of, lied to,
   learning about what was for a time, the largest free   change - check before you visit.                            and discriminated against. One of the first
Black settlement in the world.                            The story of the lived experience of Black Loyalists is     recorded race riots was in Shelburne as
The Centre                                                                                    not for the faint of    Black Loyalists were violently forced out of
was built to                                                                                  heart. Originally,      town to live in poverty and isolation.
commemorate                                                                                   they were violently     As a result of the hardship experienced in
and honour                                                                                    removed from their      Nova Scotia, a leader in the Black Loyalist
women, men                                                                                    communities in          community organized a way back to Africa
and families who                                                                              Africa and enslaved     for any Black Loyalists who could make
settled in Loyalist                                                                           – forced to work as     it to Halifax at a particular day and time.
communities in the                                                                            house servants, or in   Over 1,100 people made it to the boats
late 1780’s and                                                                               manual labour in a      that day – some walking all the way from
who now live in                                                                               variety of ways and     Birchtown. The freed Black Loyalists settled
many communities                                                                              places throughout       in Freeport in Sierra Leone.
across the                                                                                    America. All of their   You can find out more about these stories
province, including                                                                           work made profits       and more by visiting the Black Loyalist
Shelburne,                                                                                    for the owners and

                                                                                                                                   .
                                                                                                                      Heritage Centre.
Halifax Regional                                                                              was foundational
Municipality,                                                                                 for the growing
New Glasgow,                                                                                  American economy.
Sydney, and                                                                                 When the American
Parrsboro. There                                                                            Revolutionary War         Photos at right - February 24, 2021:
is a monument                                                                               (aka American War         With President MacLean, 3rd VP
on the shore of         NSGEU President Jason MacLean visits the Black Loyalists Heritage   of Independence)          Melissa Marsman and Human Rights
Shelburne Harbour       Centre in Birchtown, NS.                                           began, the British         Committee Chair Sherry Dennis,
that honours the                                                                           Crown promised any         visit the Black Loyalist Heritage
1783 Black Loyalist                                                                        slaves who fought          Centre (Local 1783) in Birchtown
landings.                                                with them freedom. When the British lost, freedom was        near Shelburne. During the visit they
The Heritage Centre itself was built in 2015 after an    negotiated with Americans (representatives from the 13       hears amazing stories told by NSGEU
earlier museum at the same location burned down. This colonies) for between three and four thousand Black             members Braden Chetwynd and Jessie
new Centre is a lovely modern structure that takes you   Loyalists. Their names were recorded in a British Naval      Corrigan. Thank you for the wonderful
on a journey in time to follow the path of people who    registry which became the basis for Lawrence Hill’s          tour today.
were wrenched from their homes in Africa, enslaved,      book: The Book of Negroes.
brought to the American colonies, then brought to        As part of the agreement, the newly freed Black
Nova Scotia and finally back to Africa again. NSGEU      Loyalists had to leave America and were told by the
members, historical interpreters, will give you a tour   Crown they would be granted land in Nova Scotia.

20 The Stand | Spring 2021                                                                                                                                           The Stand | Spring 2021 21
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