Ocean View Continuing Care Centre Workers Vote to Strike

Long term care workers from Ocean View Continuing Care Centre, represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 1245, voted 97.5% in favour of a strike mandate, echoing calls from other workers in the sector for fair wages, improved recruitment and retention to reduce understaffing issues, and protections against violence in the workplace.

“Every day our work becomes more challenging as the care needs of our residents continue to rise,” said CUPE 1245 President Rowena Graham. “Despite this, our wages remain below the living wage for Nova Scotia, and our members are exhausted and frustrated. Still, we come to work each day because we love what we do, and we genuinely care for the residents and their families. However, dedication alone is not enough to sustain us.”

This strike vote follows similarly strong strike mandates from sixteen other CUPE long term care locals, who are fighting for a wage that acknowledges both the work they do and the increased living wage, which the Nova Scotia Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives has estimated sits between $24-$29 an hour depending on place or residence.

“The cost of living keeps going up—food, rent, electricity—nothing is going down. Other provinces have realized they need to increase the wages of their long term care workers so they can keep up, it’s time Nova Scotia does the same,” said CUPE Long Term Care Coordinator Tammy Martin.

CUPE filed for conciliation at the end of November after bargaining talks with representatives of the Houston government stalled.

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