Local 150 – Island Employment Association UPDATE

NSGEU President Jason MacLean, First Vice-President Sandra Mullen, and Executive Director Shawn Fuller met today with Labour Skills and Immigration Minister Balser and Deputy Minister Czapalay to discuss the future of former Island Employment employees.

President MacLean began the meeting pressing for accountability for what has taken place. How the lives of thirty people have needlessly been thrown into chaos due to the financial irregularities of management and the board. President MacLean also sought out answers on what the future would hold for the former employees. The Union asked the Minister what message they could take back to the employees from the meeting. The Minister said employees should know they were not the issue. The problem was the handling of the funds and not the services being delivered. They also said government believes the former staff have the skills, talent and all the requirements needed to fill the current postings. The Deputy said the province has spoken to the interim provider to ensure people will qualify for these positions. She did admit the person hired for the Cheticamp area will need to be bilingual.

The Minister and Deputy said they wanted employees to know they are working as quickly as possible to set up a permanent service provider. They could not give a firm timeline but said it would be early in the new year. The Deputy committed to contacting the Union once the department had a clearer understanding of the timelines. The Deputy said the permanent service provider has not yet been selected.

NSGEU will continue to press government to find employment in the new service for former employees, President MacLean concluded. He said he would continue to provide any communication from the Minister to the former staff and would continue to fight on their behalf.