Media Advisory - Nursing home workers to hold information picket March 22 in North Sydney

Please join us and show your support. Our seniors deserve better!

NORTH SYDNEY, NS, March 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1876 will hold an information picket on Thursday, March 22 in North Sydney at the office of Eddie Orrell, MLA for Northside-Westmount. The workers, from the Northside Community Guest Home, would like to share their concerns about the effects that staffing shortages may have on residents' quality of life, in addition to budget cuts made by the provincial government.

"There are many problems at the nursing home such as reducing the resident-to-staff ratio, little or no vacation time granted, and failure to replace temporary full-time positions," says Louise Riley, chairperson of the CUPE Long Term Care Coordinating Committee. "Units are consistently working short. These shortages impact care and the health and safety of residents and workers."

WHEN:	Thursday, March 22 at 12 p.m.
WHERE:	MLA Eddie Orrell's office, 309 Commercial Street North Sydney, NS. A light lunch will be provided after the rally at Hotel North, 39 Forrest Street, North Sydney

"What is to become of these residents and their quality of care?" asks Wanda Bond, CUPE 1867 president. "Our members are exhausted and worn out from both the workload and constantly working short staffed. There just aren't any replacements willing to take on yet another short staffed shift."

The workers are asking the public to contact their MLA Eddie Orrell and Minister of Health and Wellness Randy Delorey to speak out on behalf of workers and the nursing home's residents.  

SOURCE Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)

Wanda Bond, CUPE 1876 President, [phone] (cell); Louise Riley, Chair, CUPE NS Long-Term Care Committee, 902-403-9004 (cell); John Gillies, CUPE National Representative, [phone] (cell)