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Workers who get PTSD from their jobs need to be covered by WCB. Join the rally on November 10 to show your support!
Halifax (07 Nov. 2016) — The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees' Union (NSGEU/NUPGE) is joining with the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers (UCCO) to raise awareness of the need for amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act nationally and provincially to include automatic coverage of PTSD for first responders.
Legislation including PTSD long overdue
Correctional officers are one of many occupations listed in proposed PTSD legislation, tabled by the New Democratic Party (NDP) for the second time on October 14. The Bill was originally introduced by the NDP on October 1, 2014.
Other occupations in the legislation include:
- an agent, as defined in the Children and Family Services Act
- a duly qualified medical practitioner
- a firefighter
- a person employed at a communications centre for the dispatch of ambulances or emergency responders
- a police officer
- a registered nurse
- a registered paramedic
- a registered pre-hospital first responder
- or a social worker.
Despite mounting evidence of the lasting impact of PTSD and the need for timely treatment, the Nova Scotia government has not moved on the issue.
Rally scheduled to show support for PTSD legislation
There will be a rally and demonstration on November 10 at noon, behind Province House in Halifax on the corner of Granville and Georges St.
To give the public a sense of what work life is like in a correctional facility, UCCO has designed a giant truck as a jail. The truck will be at the demonstration on Thursday and we will be inviting all MLAs to spend some time in it. It will also be open to the public.
Please come out and support our members by attending, and bring your family and friends.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 370,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE