Those jobs were always meant to be in Halifax, says HRM’s chief administrative officer, Jacques Dubé. “Always were.” Regional Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to voice its opposition to a proposal for splitting up naval maintenance work between shipyards here and in Quebec—calling on the federal government to keep shipbuilding jobs in Halifax. Councillor Stephen Adams put […]
Labour
Posted inNews + Opinion
Record of employment
Recounting the history of his involvement with the criminal justice system, Steve Deveau traces a line stretching nearly all the way across the country. First, in Yarmouth, where his mother was a single parent and “there was a lot of addiction around the house, lots of different forms of abuse from people who were hanging […]
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Mass exit at Ruby’s Rhinestone
Ruby’s Rhinestone Reception and Lounge has only been open a few months and already the Salter Street business has seen a serious turnover in staff. Five employees of the downtown country bar jointly walked out three weeks ago over allegations that owner Steve Caryi failed to provide a safe work environment. In a hand-written complaint […]
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Restorative justice workers ready for a strike
A group of restorative justice caseworkers is in “full prep mode” for a strike within the next two weeks. The Community Justice Society has one more chance to reach a compromise, but unionized workers for the government-funded program say negotiations have broken down. With one more bargaining meeting scheduled for July 25 and no current […]
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Poor history of hiring Black workers continues
The effect of systemic racism damages indiscriminately. Our government, media agencies, educational organizations and construction industry are equally complicit. The federal government signed a contract with Irving Halifax Shipyard without a provision that financial auditors be tasked with ensuring that the contract requires the inclusion of Black Nova Scotians in hiring programs. The provincial government […]
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Shipyard workers headed out on strike
The Halifax Shipyard’s 800 unionized workers are two days away from the picket line. Electricians, metal fabricators and other labourers with UNIFOR Marine Workers Local One have voted by 75 percent to reject a new contract from the Irving Shipyard. “Obviously our members have been frustrated,” said MWF business agent Adam Hersey in a news release sent […]
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City hall employees protest racism in the workplace
The municipality admits it’s not going a good enough job in creating a diverse and supportive work environment, and is promising—once again—to do better. The acknowledgement comes after 20 public employees demonstrated outside City Hall on Tuesday in protest of racial discrimination inside HRM’s workforce. The mostly African Nova Scotian group was speaking out against […]
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Free speech warriors fighting a selective battle
Nova Scotia loves to get on the bandwagon a few months or years after a trend has hit its saturation point everywhere else. It’s a few years late, but we’re still all in on hamburgers, re-opening coal mines and building failing convention centres. The latest cool thing from last year is enlisting to fight in […]
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Halifax Transit contract talks stalled
The union representing Halifax’s bus and ferry workers says contract negotiations with city hall have stalled. Local 508 president Ken Wilson announced Wednesday that the Amalgamated Transit Union is filing for conciliation as it continues bargaining for a new contract with HRM. “We’ve met over 24 times in the last 20 months,” says Wilson. “My side, […]
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Smiling Goat ordered to pay nearly $1,000 in wages owed to ex-employee
As Smiling Goat employees continue fighting for unpaid wages, at least one former cafe worker is finally getting the money they’re owed. Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards board has issued a ruling ordering Smiling Goat owner Kit Singh to pay nearly $1,000 in unpaid wages owed to just one of his former employees. Hebron Hospitality Group, conducting […]
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Union for Founders Square janitors claims racism behind hiring
Correction and apology: The following story has been updated to clarify that The Armour Group Limited and/or Founders Square Limited do not manage the Founders Square cleaners, and that hiring and firing decisions are up to the subcontractors involved. We apologize without reservation to Armour and FSL for incorrectly stating the cleaners were their employees. […]
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UPDATED: Labi Kousoulis refuses to meet with student activists on sexual violence
Kousoulis’ sent a response to the CFS letter just before end of business Monday afternoon. The relevant section is now quoted below. The Canadian Federation of Students says the Department of Labour and Advanced Education is attempting to “silence students and survivors” because of an opinion piece first published in The Coast. In an open […]