Not all essential workers to benefit: CUPE

The province says it informed employers and unions Tuesday of who's eligible for a piece of a $94-million wage top-up program for front-line health-care workers but the government is being tightlipped about the fine details.

Stephen Mcneil's Liberal government announced the Essential Health Care Workers Program on May 7. The money is meant for health-care employees on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the premier has faced criticism for delaying payments and details on which workers would qualify for the bonus of up to $2,000.

At press deadline Tuesday, Heather Fairbairn, a spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia government, provided a list of agencies that qualify for the funding but no specific details on which positions would receive the top-up.

The list includes Nova Scotia Health Authority and IWK Health Centre workers and those in long-term care, home care, home support, residential care workers in the Disability Support Program, transition houses, shelter workers, and emergency health services. The timeline of the program spans from

March 13 to July 12. Timing of the payment will be determined by the employer.

The Chronicle Herald asked the province for a list of positions that qualify for the bonuses and a breakdown on the amount for each worker but that information was not provided.

Nan Mcfadgen, president of the Nova Scotia branch of Canadian Union of Public Employees, said she learned more details of the program in a telephone conversation with the province late Tuesday afternoon. She said only health-care workers that had contact with patients, residents or clients are eligible to receive the top-up, with a few exceptions. Those include lab staff working directly with specimens, public health workers and 811 telehealth employees.

She said most long-term care and home-care support workers would meet the eligibility requirements of the program. Mcfadgen said she's not been provided with a list of workers who don't make the cut but many won't.

"So, for example, if you're a person that worked in a hospital kitchen but never served meals to patients then they're not getting a top-up."

The union represents about 9,000 hospital, long-term care and home support workers.

She said those workers that met the government definition of patient contact are required to work only one day of each of the four months to be eligible for the $500 per month top-up.

Mcfadgen slammed the government for not including all essential workers.

“How do you even call this an essential worker program when you have 10 essential workers and five of the workers you give it to and five of them you don't?

“Give this money to the essential workers and that includes every single one of them. If not they weren't essential workers, were they? Why didn't they just stay home?”

The essential worker program includes $80.5 million in federal funding and $13.4 million from the province and is expected to benefit 43,000 workers. She said unions can't compel the province to broaden the program because it's not permitted under those collective agreements. She said workers will need to contact their employers directly to see if they are eligible.

The Herald obtained a copy of a Department of Community Services memo issued Tuesday outlining some of the details of the program. The document says the program will apply to full-time, part-time, and casual workers who worked on the front line during the pandemic. Those who worked during the four months but were placed in isolation or quarantine or COVID-19 sick leave, will also receive the benefit. The memo also says most of management employees do not qualify. Managers who engage in front-line, handson care are eligible for this program, including directors and assistant directors of care. Cleaning staff, food service and housekeeping staff are eligible for this program as well as other care staff who worked directly with residents and patients.

Both opposition leaders hammered the province this week for delaying payments and not telling front-line workers who's eligible. NDP Leader Gary Burrill and Tory Leader Tim Houston argued everyone classified as an essential worker in the healthcare sector should have received the top-up.

“Anybody who is involved in the essential work of the delivery of health care should be entitled to the bonus and that's a broad circle," said Burrill. "The purpose of the top-up is to, in part, give respect for the extended contributions of front-line health-care workers in the pandemic.”

Houston called the delays and lack of information unacceptable.

“Front-line health-care professionals gave up a lot. Over the past number of months, they risked their safety and that of their families, and they deserve what they have been promised,” said Houston. “It's disrespectful that a plan can

“Give this money to the essential workers and that includes every single one of them. If not they weren’t essential workers, were they?”

Nan Mcfadgen