(Fredericton) The 2,500 members of the New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Workers are demanding an end to chronic short staffing and work overload. The nursing home workers walked off the job early this morning, after having exhausted all other avenues to get their employer and the province to address what has become a crisis.
Since we started negotiations, the single most important issue for our members has been work overload. They are the ones who see how short staffing and unmanageable workload levels affect our residents, says CUPE Representative Gordon Black. We know a strike will be hard on the people we care for. However, we have run out of options. The situation has become dangerous. We need more staff.
The union has been without a contract since October 2000. Talks are continuing in the face of a threat by the provincial government to legislate an end to the strike.
-30-
For more information:
Gordon Black, CUPE Representative, 506-461-4829 (cell)
Robert Fox, CUPE Communications, 613-795-4977(cell)