Latest news with #NanMcFadgen
National Post
7 days ago
- General
- National Post
Alan Linkletter Elected as New President of CUPE Nova Scotia
Article content HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — After almost ten years of service as CUPE Nova Scotia President, Nan McFadgen retired this week, handing over the mantle to newly elected Alan Linkletter. Article content Article content 'It's a bittersweet moment,' said former President Nan McFadgen, 'but I am confident Alan will do a fantastic job and continue CUPE Nova Scotia's fight to protect public services and support the communities we make our home.' Article content Alan Linkletter is a member of CUPE 8920, which represents health care workers in acute care province wide, and he has spent the last 16 years working in the labour movement and fighting for better conditions for workers everywhere. He is the former Vice-President of both his home local and CUPE Nova Scotia. Article content 'It's an honour that my fellow CUPE Nova Scotia members believe in me and my experience in the labour movement,' said Linkletter. 'Nan has built a solid foundation for us to continue the work, and I will do my best to support and lift up CUPE Nova Scotia members province wide.' Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For more information, please contact: Alan Linkletter CUPE Nova Scotia President president@ Article content Article content
National Post
23-05-2025
- Health
- National Post
Union: NSH only cares about the safety of some employees
Article content HALIFAX, Nova Scotia — After several attempts to follow up and ensure the well-being of employees in Nova Scotia hospitals following the attack on two security guards at Colchester East Hants Health Centre earlier this month, CUPE has been told that, because those security guards were not employed by Nova Scotia Health (NSH) directly, they would take no action. Article content Article content 'I'm disappointed but not surprised,' said CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen. 'We've been dealing with this mentality regarding contracted employees for years. The contracted company claims they can't make changes because the funder, as in the NSH, hasn't approved it and the NSH claims they're merely a client and can't make changes. So, who's responsible then?' Article content In an email communication on May 14, NSH confirmed their Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) would not be involved because 'the injured employee wasn't NSH staff' but they would discuss it in their next meeting. Article content 'Security workers aren't the only contracted workers in hospitals now that Houston has pushed ahead with his privatization agenda,' said McFadgen. 'So does that mean the NSH won't step in if a travel nurse gets hurt, or a contracted lab tech or x-ray technician?' Article content The Houston government has expanded the use of public private partnerships in all areas of health care, hiring private companies to provide long term care, transitional care, and even build the QEII expansion. Article content 'If the NSH is going to hire private companies to provide services for them, they should have to follow the same processes they would for any other employee,' argued McFadgen. 'They shouldn't be able to bring these companies into our health care system and then wash their hands of them when there's an issue. That's not the way to protect our hospitals or our health care workers.' Article content 'NSH contracts are the NSHs responsibility—and that includes Paladin Security. Just because their job is to protect people doesn't mean these guards deserve to get bleach thrown in their face and then told they're not the NSH's concern because their direct employer is Paladin,' finished McFadgen. 'That's simply not acceptable.' Article content Paladin Security is contracted by Nova Scotia Health to provide security in hospitals across the province. CUPE 5479, the local union that represents these guards, has been bargaining their first collective agreement for over a year. Recently, Paladin issued an email communication ending further collaboration with CUPE 5479 because they didn't have a first collective agreement yet. CUPE 5479's certification by the Labour Board was issued in November 2022. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content Article content
Business Wire
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Tentative Agreement Ratification Is a Bittersweet Win for CJS Workers after Province Terminates Service Agreement
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Workers at Community Justice Society (CJS) have voted to accept their tentative agreement. While the gains made in this round of negotiations are being celebrated, the win is bittersweet: On April 7, workers received notice that the provincial government was terminating their service agreement with Community Justice Society. The organization was given 90 days to wrap up current cases and vacate their offices. Tentative Agreement Ratification is a Bittersweet Win for CJS Workers After Province Terminates Service Agreement Share 'The termination of the service agreement means all CJS staff will lose their jobs. We were in the middle of negotiations and have been told that we're out of a job in 90 days,' said Denise Russell, President of CUPE 4764. The local has been bargaining their next collective agreement for just over a year and was headed to conciliation in May before receiving notice of the service agreement termination. CUPE 4764 represents the six caseworkers employed by CJS, who administer the Restorative Justice Program for the Nova Scotia Department of Justice in Halifax. CUPE 4764 members unanimously voted in favour of job action at a March strike vote. 'This is extremely troubling—both for restorative justice in Nova Scotia, and for our public services in general,' said Nan McFadgen, CUPE Nova Scotia President. 'Community Justice Society is the only unionized restorative justice agency in the province, and their contract with government is being terminated—without cause—after 25 years of service.' While workers felt 'forced' to accept the new agreement after receiving notice of the organization's contract with government being terminated, it included some important gains that the local fought hard for. This includes a 7% wage increase over two years, better provisions for work-related travel costs, and improved language on the work week and scheduling. Instead of celebrating what they achieved at the bargaining table, workers are now forced to focus on the possibility of impending job loss. 'I have worked at CJS for almost twenty years, and in that time, there hasn't been a raise that our union didn't make happen,' continued Russell. 'But we're not here for a paycheque—we're here because we're passionate about this work, and we're all devastated that we're being told we won't be able to do it anymore.' :so/cope491
