Valley View Villa Workers Issue Notice to Resume Strike in Nova Scotia
Approximately 150 workers at Valley View Villa in Riverton, Nova Scotia, have issued notice to resume their strike following a breakdown in local negotiations with employer High Crest Enterprises. The dispute centers on proposed concessions regarding vacation time and health insurance coverage.
Approximately 150 workers at Valley View Villa in Riverton, Nova Scotia, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), have issued notice to resume their strike. The move follows a breakdown in local negotiations with the facility's manager, High Crest Enterprises.
The workers issued the notice on September 29, placing them in a legal strike position as of October 13. This development marks a shift from previous labor actions, where these employees had participated in a nine-week province-wide strike involving nearly 40 long-term care homes. During that earlier action, they secured at least a $5 per hour increase over the life of the 2023-2026 agreement before pausing the strike.
Valley View Villa is owned by the Municipality of Pictou County and managed by High Crest Enterprises, a for-profit organization. The facility is governed by the Riverton Guest Home Corporation, a volunteer board comprised of municipal councillors and non-elected volunteers.
Unlike most long-term care homes in Nova Scotia, Valley View Villa is not represented by Health Association Nova Scotia (HANS). Consequently, High Crest Enterprises is not bound by provincial agreements, allowing for separate local negotiations. The current dispute involves proposed concessions including changes to how employees earn vacation time and removal from the HANS-administered health plan.
Betty Best, President of CUPE Local 2330, stated that the municipality is allowing High Crest Enterprises to claw back hard-earned vacation time and health insurance coverage. The union claims these proposals would worsen current terms.