Four additional long-term care homes in Nova Scotia have delivered 48-hour strike notices, escalating ongoing labor disputes in the sector.
Workers at Grand View Manor, Magnolia Continuing Care Centre, Shiretown Nursing Home, and Ivey’s Terrace Nursing Home plan to walk out Thursday morning unless negotiations advance. Maple Hill Manor intends to issue its notice Friday.
Strike Timeline and Impact
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 52 long-term care facilities across the province, first submitted a 48-hour strike notice on April 10. More than 2,200 workers began striking on April 13, including continuing-care assistants, licensed practical nurses, housekeeping staff, and physiotherapists.
Should these four homes join the action, nearly 3,000 workers from 29 locals will be on strike province-wide.
Union Demands
Christa Sweeney, chair of CUPE’s long-term and community care committee, stated, “The government’s refusal to bargain is dragging this strike out and putting residents at risk. This could end tomorrow if they were willing to negotiate.”
Government Response
Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams announced on April 12 that the province’s offer includes wage increases of up to 24 percent for some workers, retroactive pay to 2023, and a 70 percent boost in shift and weekend premiums. The proposed four-year agreement, effective from 2023, would run until next year.
