Pay Increase for Continuing Care Assistants, Next Steps!

Good afternoon,

I am so pleased to share that today, the government announced that effective tomorrow, all Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) in Nova Scotia will receive a pay increase of approximately 23 per cent.

Wages for unionized and non-unionized CCAs at all levels in the publicly-funded sector will increase, bringing the top annual salary to $48,419. For most full-time CCAs, this is an annual increase of close to $9,000 a year. Those currently at the top of their pay scale will reach this level immediately. You should ask your employer what this increase will mean for you.

To be clear: this significant pay increase is a long-awaited acknowledgment of the value of the crucial work that you do, each and every day. For far too long, successive governments have ignored the significance of the work you do, and the role that Continuing Care plays in ensuring our acute health care system can function. The pandemic put us in a position that government could ignore this issue no longer. We give this government full credit for understanding that compensation is a core issue to ensuring staff recruitment and retention, and are hopeful that this increased compensation helps to attract workers into this sector, and keep them there, to help those of you who have been dedicated to clients for so long.

To be clear, we will still be heading to the bargaining table to address contract provisions and language that will continue to improve working conditions.

In addition to today’s news about this pay increase, I would like to thank all of the members who took the time to participate in the call with the Premier and Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care last night. I believe the Minister and Premier heard your concerns loud and clear. Your feedback made an impact, and certainly gave these political leaders a real sense of the challenges you are facing in the workplace on a daily basis.

I understand that many more members likely were unable to participate in the call, however, due to the last-minute nature of the meeting, and technical difficulties that were experienced at the outset of the call.

For anyone who was unable to participate or anyone else who would like to provide feedback to the government, we have created an online form for you to send your concerns regarding working conditions to the Premier and Minister. You can click here to fill out this form.

I have also written to the Minister for a fourth time, thanking her for meeting with us last night, and again extending an invitation to meet with our Long-Term and Home Care Occupational Councils this Spring (you can read that letter here).

I am cautiously optimistic that was are finally taking the first steps on the path towards meaningful change in the Continuing Care sector. I again want to thank you for the work you are doing, and your advocacy. It is critical that frontline workers continue to lead the way, and we will remain at your side as we push for positive change together.

In solidarity,

Jason MacLean

President, NSGEU