Dozens of N.S. long-term care sites vote in favour of strike ahead of conciliation meeting

A Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) flag during an education support workers rally outside of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building in Regina, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

Thirty-six long-term care sites in Nova Scotia have voted in favour of job action ahead of the final conciliation meeting with the province next week.

Tammy Martin, long-term care coordinator with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), says their final conciliation meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11. If a deal isn’t struck, the conciliation officer will file a report and call both parties back after 14 days.

Forty-eight hours after that meeting, the long-term care sites would be in a legal position to strike.

Martin says CUPE represents 52 long-term care facilities in Nova Scotia. In the last few months, 36 sites – which represent more than 3,000 members – have overwhelmingly voted in favour of job action.

“We’ve not had one strike vote that was less than 93 per cent in favour,” Martin said. “This is the last thing we want to do. We don’t want to engage in job action.”

Alyse Hand, strategic events and media relations advisor with the Executive Council Office, said the provincial government respects the bargaining process and wants to see “fairly negotiated agreements” reached as soon as possible.

“We recognize and deeply value the essential role that long term care workers play in delivering quality care to Nova Scotians,” Hand said in an email. “Government is committed to the collective bargaining process as demonstrated through the actions and support at the bargaining table which has resulted in almost 400 settlements since 2021.”

Martin said the major issues for workers are wages, recruitment and retention.

“Recruitment and retention are low in the sector,” she said. “Until you address the core issue, which is money, you’re never going to solve the problem. There is nobody knocking down the door to work in long-term care.”

Martin said she’s hopeful the conciliation meeting will result in a deal for the members.

“All of our eggs are in the basket for the Feb. 11 meeting,” she said. “We put together what we see as our best possible position and we hope they sincerely look at it.”

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