The union representing provincial government workers says changes to income assistance job supports could lead to delays and weaker service for vulnerable Nova Scotians.
The province announced Tuesday that people on income assistance who are considered ready to look for work will be referred to Nova Scotia Works starting in September.
Government says the change will give those clients access to the same job supports as other Nova Scotians, while making services easier to access and reducing stigma.
About 1,100 income assistance clients are expected to move into the Nova Scotia Works system.
But the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union says the change is also the first step toward eliminating jobs in the Department of Opportunities and Social Development.
Officials said Tuesday between 75 and 85 positions could be affected.
Union worried about service delays
NSGEU president Sandra Mullen says employment support workers currently work closely with income assistance caseworkers and clients.
She says many people receiving income assistance face complex challenges before they are ready to find and keep work.
Mullen says moving some of that work outside the civil service will make it harder to maintain the same level of support.
“You cannot get the public service level you had when you start cutting positions,” Mullen said.
She says the union has already seen delays in other areas of government where vacancies have not been filled.
Severance offers
Mullen says her understanding is about 300 workers in the department were offered voluntary severance.
She says that does not mean all of those workers will leave, but the process will help government identify vacancies and determine which positions may be eliminated.
The union says the affected group includes several classifications.
Mullen says the province still needs to determine which positions will disappear and where workers may be able to move.
She says rural workers could face added challenges because there may be fewer vacancies nearby.
Broader cuts
The NSGEU says the income assistance changes are part of a wider pattern of public service reductions since the provincial budget.
The union says it has been receiving weekly notifications from government about planned reductions in different departments.
Mullen says the province has pointed to attrition as one way to reduce staffing, but says this case is different.
“This is not the case,” Mullen said. “They’re clearly wanting to eliminate a huge number of caseworker positions.”
The union says it will work to protect affected members and make sure collective agreement protections are followed.
The province has said the change is meant to reduce duplication and improve access to employment supports.
Government says people already in current programs will not lose those supports, and people who need more help before looking for work will continue to receive support through community groups.
