MEDIA RELEASE: Government Cuts Create More Chaos in Civil Service

Today, members of the Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA) team within the Department of Opportunities and Social Development were told government plans to offer them voluntary severance. This decision is related to the Houston government’s decision to hive off Employment Support Services’ work outside of the Civil Service, which was also announced today. 

This is their first step in eliminating jobs within the department, though the total number of workers affected is not known yet. Even if layoffs are mitigated by some members opting for voluntary resignation, some will still end up receiving layoff notices. 

“These types of cuts have a terrible ripple effect within the workplace,” said Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) President Sandra Mullen, “This type of uncertainty creates a lot of stress for the workers delivering these critical services.” 

Today’s announcement is just the latest in a series of harmful cuts that have been painfully trickling out since February, as part of the Houston government’s move to reduce staffing levels following their provincial budget of careless cuts. The union is receiving weekly notifications from government on planned reductions in various departments. 

Premier Tim Houston’s careless cuts will have consequences for the services Nova Scotians rely on every day. 

 “The reality of the situation is that fewer workers means less capacity to deliver the programs and services Nova Scotians depend on,” said Mullen.  

While government is currently examining placement options for affected employees, which may help mitigate some immediate impacts, the broader concern remains unchanged: the province is pursuing workforce reductions without a plan to maintain service levels or support workers. 

“These are jobs, careers and public services that communities count on,” said Mullen. “Civil Servants, their families and all Nova Scotians deserve answers about how these cuts will affect the services they receive.” 

The NSGEU will continue pressing government to reverse course and invest in the public services that communities depend upon. 

At the same time, the union is closely monitoring the situation and will work to ensure affected members receive the protections negotiated under their collective agreements. 

“Our job is to protect our members and defend public services,” said Mullen. “We will be holding government accountable, advocating for affected workers, and ensuring the collective agreement is fully respected throughout this process.” 

The NSGEU is calling on the Houston government to engage with workers and their union, and consider a path that invests in public services in Nova Scotia, instead of weakening them. 

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The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union represents nearly 39,000 workers who provide quality public services Nova Scotians count on every day.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with NSGEU President Sandra Mullen, please contact:

Holly Fraughton, NSGEU Communications Officer

902-471-1781 (cell)   

hfraughton@nsgeu.ca