The Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) has told its part-time employees they cannot hold more than one, part time job with the region.
A crossing guard, for instance, working 20 hours a week, is prohibited from picking up a second job as a cleaner for 20 hours a week. CUPE represents both groups of part time workers.
CUPE National Rep. Jacquie Bramwell says, “This flies in the face of what’s happening out in the work world nowadays. It is well known that most new jobs in Cape Breton are part-time or casual jobs. So not only can these workers not find full time jobs, they’re also being told by CBRM that can’t have more than one part time job to make ends meet.
“We just had one of our cleaners apply for a cross walk guard job and was told she’d have to pick one or the other. This is the height of ridiculousness,” says Bramwell.
CUPE says it is considering whether or not this is a human rights violation.
The crossing guards are represented by CUPE 761, while cleaners are part of CUPE 759 CBRM outside workers.