HALIFAX: Praise was not unanimous for the provincial government’s plan to raise wages for Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs).
On Feb. 9, the province announced it is investing approximately $65 million in health authorities, long-term care and home care to increase pay for CCAs, with the goal to make them the highest paid in Atlantic Canada.
Wages for unionized and non-unionized CCAs at all levels in the publicly funded sector will increase by approximately 23 per cent, bringing the top annual salary to $48,419, the province stated. For most full-time CCAs, this is an annual increase of close to $9,000 a year, they said, noting that those currently at the top of their pay scale will reach this level immediately. “We’re doing everything we can to fix the system, and we’ve heard from CCAs and unions time and again that we can’t do this until we address wages for CCAs, which I was shocked to hear were the lowest in the country,” said Houston. “We feel the urgency and the frustration. The system needs investment, and the workers need support now. We want them to know they are heard, valued and respected.”
CCA Annette Boudreau, who is president of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 5032 at St. Ann Community and Nursing Care Centre in Arichat, told The Reporter this is a “great first step.”
“It’s a great start. All CCAs in every sector deserve it and more, in my opinion, and we didn’t even go into bargaining yet, so maybe there’s more to come,” she said. “I’m assuming when CUPE goes into bargaining with the government that it will be for all aspects our long-term care facility. It will include a wage increase for every department, the kitchen, environment, and CCA.”
According to the province, most CCAs have expired collective agreements (Oct. 31, 2020) with an expired annual salary range between $36,529 and $39,443. They said the new salary range will be between $44,660 and $48,419.
The province said groups with collective agreements that are already settled will be adjusted upward to the new levels, and those not yet settled will incorporate the new pay scales. Collective bargaining will continue, and CCAs will not have to wait until bargaining concludes to receive this increase, they said, noting that details and the timing of implementation will be determined by individual employers working with unions.
Although she was encouraged following a Zoom meeting between Houston and CCAs last week, Boudreau said it will take more than higher wages to address staffing shortages.
“They announced that the 4:1 (staffing) ratio was going to be legislated, so that’s a step in the right direction,” she said of the Feb. 8 meeting. “(Houston) also said that the employers don’t have to wait for it to be legislated; that they can apply for it (the ratio) at any time. That’s a big help on the CCA workload as well.”
In addition to staffing levels and wages, Boudreau said administration has a role.
“I think a lot of it falls on management as well; acknowledging the work that the CCAs do,” she said. “From the behind the closed door, they don’t see everything that is required from a CCA.”
Adele MacRae, a member of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3730 at the Port Hawkesbury Nursing Home, told The Reporter during last November’s Day of Action that workers are forced to work extra shifts, and long shifts when other workers aren’t available.
“We went out on the line fighting for the same things. They were going to the bargaining table, is what I heard this morning, and well this came up,” MacRae said on Feb. 10. “Are they going to go to the bargaining table and fight for the rest of us to get a raise? They got quite the raise. Anytime we get one it’s one per cent, or 1.5.”
MacRae, a food service worker, explained late last year that most employers “mandate” staff to work overtime and leave the first sick-call unfilled, which forces some staff to work shorthanded.
“I’m happy that they got it, they deserve it, but on the other hand, I find it’s a slap in the face for the rest of us that work there as we’re all in the same union,” she noted. “What about us? We work equally as hard as they do. We face different challenges than they do. So I think the rest of us are a little upset.”
Although MacRae acknowledged the wage increase might help CCAs, she said other members of CUPE like her were denied vacation, and face problems of their own.
“It should be equal across the board. I know they should get paid more than us, but we should get a raise as well,” stated MacRae. “We’re supposed to be working as a team, we’re all in the same union so it should be across the board.”
CUPE Nova Scotia agreed there is more work to do in addressing all issues and job classifications.
“Bargaining remains a priority for us, however this brings CCAs who previously earned between $18.93 and $20.19 per hour to between $23.27 and $24.83 per hour,” says CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen. “We’re still going forward in bargaining, but this brings us closer to where we should be, bringing up the standard of living for people who work in care sectors.”
“We’ve always recognized that it takes a team to provide quality care and that includes many workers, in other job classifications,” Louise Riley, chairperson of CUPE’s Long Term Care and Community Services Coordinating Committee, said.
Serious recruitment and retention issues which have forced many CCAs to work short-staffed under difficult conditions, is impacting the quality and availability of care for seniors and their families, the province noted.
“We’re listening to their concerns, and we’re making investments to improve working conditions, hire more staff, and give them a much-needed raise in pay,” Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care stated.
According to the province, there are 6,700 publicly funded CCA positions in Nova Scotia, most in continuing care, and the government has committed to hiring 1,400 additional CCAs.
“Congratulations to all the workers and unions who’ve fought and won the fight for higher CCA wages,” said NDP Leader Gary Burrill. “As they, and we, have been saying for years, this is completely necessary and is a good start to improving the situations of both workers and residents in long-term care.”
To ensure care givers and the residents of long-term care across Nova Scotia receive what they deserve, Burrill called on the government to legislate 4.1 hours of care per resident per day.
“At the same time, there’s a host of workers including cleaners, food service staff, and others who are essential to our long-term care facilities’ success, who also need wages that reflect the importance of their work,” he added.