Redeployment & The Good Neighbour Protocol

Good afternoon,

NSGEU has heard concerns from our frontline workers who may be asked by their employers to volunteer for temporary redeployment outside of their workplace during the COVID-19 crisis.

The NSGEU and all major health care unions in Nova Scotia signed on to a protocol with the provincial government more than a decade ago to protect health care workers’ rights in circumstances just like the one we find ourselves in now.

Back in 2009, on the heels of the H1N1 influenza pandemic, the NSGEU signed onto the Good Neighbour Protocol (See a copy of the Good Neighbour Protocol here), an agreement designed to protect health services and health care workers during emergencies such as a pandemic or natural disaster, should they be asked volunteer to temporarily work at a different employer or location.

In the event that a member volunteers to be redeployed, the Good Neighbour Protocol protects workers’ rights and ensures for seamless support across the province in times of crisis. It ensures workers will be properly compensated and protected, and it will apply to both workers and volunteers.

Again, the protections contained in the Good Neighbour Protocol agreement ensure that any redeployments can only occur on a voluntary basis and can only occur during this declared state of emergency.

If you have any questions, please contact the NSGEU Labour Resource Centre at 902-424-4063.

In solidarity,

Jason MacLean

President, NSGEU

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