Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia’s health and wellness minister, is warning of a potential strike by more than 9,000 health-care workers. (Communications Nova Scotia)

Nova Scotia’s health minister is warning the province’s health authorities to prepare for a possible strike by more than 9,000 health-care workers.

Michelle Thompson wrote a letter to the CEOs of the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK Health Centre. She said the province is committed to reaching a settlement. 

Thompson said talks have been difficult but are continuing with the help of a conciliator.

“Each negotiated settlement and wage and benefit investment we have made has resulted in higher wages,” she wrote in the letter, released Tuesday by her department. 

“Once again significant wage increases are on the table. At the same time, we have to be mindful of the taxpayer and make sure that we only commit to what is affordable to taxpayers, now and into the future.”

The employees are represented by three different unions – the NSGEU, CUPE and Unifor. The unions are negotiating as one body under a council of health-care unions.

Members represent more than 170 occupations in the health-care system – including those working in diagnostic imaging and laboratory, mental health and addictions, cancer therapy, paramedics, and community health.

The unions say many employees are now the lowest paid in Atlantic Canada and are struggling with severe staffing shortages.

Thompson said in the letter that the government is focused on “tough but fair” bargaining. She said they want an agreement without a strike, but that the province’s finances are stretched. 

“The reality is that with a staggering provincial deficit, there is just no more to offer. We simply can’t sweeten the offer because the taxpayer is already stretched to their limit.”

In late July, Nova Scotia’s Finance Minister Allan MacMaster reported the province recorded a $143-million surplus on surging revenues. He said Nova Scotia brought in $1 billion more than expected last year.

This round of contract negotiations does not include doctors or nurses.

Lawn signs welcome the lifting of mask mandates in school. Photo Ed Halverson

Reaction is mixed as students won’t be required to wear masks in school for the first time when they return to class after the Victoria Day long weekend.

Masks have been mandatory in most indoor public places across Nova Scotia since July 31, 2020.

When the restrictions are lifted May 24 the province will be the last in Canada to remove mask mandates in schools.

When announcing the policy change Friday, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Becky Druhan said masks will continue to be recommended and anyone who chooses to wear a mask will be supported.

In a release, Druhan said, “Masks helped schools mitigate the impact of COVID-19’s sixth wave. But as warmer weather approaches in June and classes can spend more time outdoors, and with Nova Scotia’s health data and school attendance data improving, now is the time to make masks optional in schools.”

In response to the announcement Doctors Nova Scotia tweeted out, “While the school mask mandate is being lifted beginning May 24, masks are still recommended in indoor spaces.”

Minister Druhan echoed the sentiment.

In her statement Druhan said, “We strongly encourage students and staff to continue to wear masks, and we will continue to support staff and students as well as continue to supply masks and hand sanitizer.”

In an interview with CBC, the chief of paediatrics at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Dr. Andrew Lynk warned that his facility is already stretched to its limits.

Lynk went on to say paediatricians across the province had hoped masking in schools would remain in place until the end of the school year on June 30 to prevent a rise in the number of children coming to hospital with COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

The weekly COVID update released by the province May 19 shows the number of new cases and hospitalizations continues to decline.

However, 24 people died as a result of COVID for the seven-day period ending May 16; 22 were aged 70 or older and nine lived in long-term care homes.

In an email to the school community Regional Executive Director of South Shore Regional Centre for Education Paul Ash said students, staff and visitors are encouraged to continue following core public health measures, including vaccinations, staying home if feeling unwell, following the COVID-19 daily checklist, and washing and sanitizing hands frequently.

Ash says while masks are no longer required, schools will continue to make them available to anyone who wishes.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
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To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.

Premier Stephen McNeil and Dr. Robert Strang provide COVID-19 update October 6, 2020

Nova Scotia is increasing its COVID-19 testing capacity.

Premier Stephen McNeil says several steps are involved including:

• increasing the lab capacity in Halifax to process 2,500 tests per day
• adding equipment in Sydney so tests in the northern part of the province can be tested locally instead of sending them to Halifax
• moving most of the primary testing centres to larger locations while increasing their hours and staff to speed up the testing process.

McNeil says any excess capacity not being used by Nova Scotians will be offered to neighbouring provinces.

“This is just the next phase of working with the national government to increase the number of testing opportunities in our province. And if they’re not needed here we’ll certainly make them available to the rest of the country,” said the premier.

The IWK Health Centre will also expand to double the capacity in its assessment centre.

Beginning October 7, the IWK will also start using a gargle test to diagnose COVID-19 in children ages 4 – 18.

The province’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang says he’s been hearing from people asking why, when our numbers are so low, we can’t begin to relax some of the restrictions around COVID-19.

Strang says it’s those measures, the hand hygiene, social distancing and 14-day quarantines, which have kept the numbers so low and we need to maintain them.

He reminded Nova Scotians this is not the time to be complacent.

“We’re seeing the second wave in other parts of the country and that second wave is worse because the challenges of controlling large numbers of COVID while keeping things open as much as possible,” said Strang.

He says it’s much easier to control COVID if you have everything locked down.

“And they may have to go there in some of those other parts of Canada,” said Strang. “We’re trying to avoid being in that situation in the first place.”

With Thanksgiving on the horizon this weekend, Strang reminded people their celebrations may have to look a bit different this year.

“So you’re going to have to find ways to have small groups having Thanksgiving dinner together. And if that means a large family has to divide up and have different groups having different meals, I regret that that that’s going to be necessary,” said Strang. “But we can’t relax the rules just for Thanksgiving ‘cause we may well see the impact of this in two weeks if we’re not careful.”

Strang says the current limit is no more than ten people in a close social group without distancing and anyone who is exhibiting any symptoms of COVID should stay away from groups.

He says hosts will have more to think about including frequently cleaning of high touch surfaces like door handles and taking extra precautions in the handling of food.

“It’s important that we don’t have buffet-style service with lots of hands, each touching the same serving utensils. We would ask to have one person designated as a server, serving out individual plates and then passing those plates around, rather than passing around bowls and platters where lots of hands go on those,” said Strang.

Premier McNeil closed the briefing by recognizing that mask fatigue is setting in for some Nova Scotians and we need to continue to follow the public health protocols.

“We can not let our guard down. CODID is relentless and it thrives, quite frankly, on ignorance and arrogance,” said McNeil. “There’s no reason for anyone to be ignorant of this disease, we’ve now been dealing with for eight months and these public health protocols in front of us. And arrogance is not a way Nova Scotians react to anything.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson