Burrill: Workers deserve better

SYDNEY - NDP Leader Gary Burrill is speaking at the Labour Day celebrations in Sydney today. Burrill will be joined by Tammy Martin, MLA for Cape Breton Centre, Ronald Crowther, NDP Candidate in Northside-Westmount, and Mary Beth MacDonald, NDP candidate in Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg.

“The NDP is proud of our record standing with working people who are fighting for better working conditions and safer workplaces. Labour Day is an opportunity to celebrate these gains and also reflect on what still needs to be done,” said Burrill. “In Nova Scotia right now, there is only one party that is committed to a $15 minimum wage, paid sick days for all workers, and protections against wage theft, and that’s the NDP.”

Nova Scotia has one of the lowest minimum wages in the country and is the only province where child poverty recently increased. Child poverty rates in Cape Breton are the highest in the province, where one in three children are living in poverty.

“It’s unacceptable that one in three children in our community are living in poverty. A $15 minimum wage would go a long way to helping make sure families in Cape Breton can make ends meet,” said Crowther, who is also a Vice-President of the Cape Breton District Labour Council. “The Liberals and the Conservatives refuse to support the NDP’s call for a $15 minimum wage, and don’t seem to care that a third of Cape Breton children are going hungry.”

Since taking office, the Liberal government has disrespected frontline workers repeatedly by attacking collective bargaining rights, imposing instead of negotiating contracts, and refusing to address issues with burnout, safety, and resources in our schools, hospitals and clinics.

“Every day I hear from nurses, home care workers, long-term care staff, and other health care workers who are desperate for the government to listen to them,” said Martin, the NDP’s spokesperson for Labour. “The NDP is ready to listen to frontline workers and work to find health care solutions. On September 3, support our local health care workers by voting for your local NDP candidate.”

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