A coalition is asking the provincial government to raise the wages of caregivers.
Vallie Stearns-Anderson, the anglophone vice-chair for the Coalition for Pay Equity, said there are about 10,000 caregivers who are paid between $14 and $16 an hour, which is less than the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
“In order to really address this issue, there’s got to be protective personal equipment for every single worker, and there has to be a raise in wages,” said Stearns-Anderson.
Stearns-Anderson said there’s been a strong focus on business and workers during the pandemic which is a great response because it’ll determine how the economy picks back up again. She said if we want to take care of our economy, we have to take care of our workers.
“There’s no way that you can recruit and retain workers in these highly dangerous situations for the amount that they’re being paid now. It’s been a crisis and this COVID-19 crisis is just making it worse.”
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would be working with provinces to raise wages of essential and long term care workers who are making less than $2,500 a month.
Premier Blaine Higgs has said he wants more details on the program before making any decisions on accepting the federal money.
Sylvie Bertrand, a caregiver and a safety assessor for seniors in NB Housing, says the job is more difficult now.
Sylvie Bertrand, a caregiver and a safety assessor for seniors in NB Housing, says the job is more difficult now.
“They are afraid and they’re lonely because they have nobody at their place except us, or me, I’ll talk for me, the caregiver. So that’s why it’s more difficult in this time,” she said.
Bertrand said it isn’t enough that the prime minister is promising to help raise the wages of essential and long term care workers.
She said if caregivers aren’t working for the passion, they certainly aren’t working for the pay.
“We love what we do, we just want to be supported as would be fair because we would probably be in better shape, less tired, less concerned about the situation if we have a little more,” she said.
“You know, we should be concerned that these workers are not being paid enough to endanger their lives and the lives of their families and the lives of the people that they’re working with by going to work,” said Vallie Stearns-Anderson.
The coalition is concerned that the money won’t be earmarked for the entire community care-giving sector. Nursing home wages start at $19.73 for resident attendants, and the rest of the sector varies between $14 and $16 an hour.
