NDP calls for sick pay measures for health workers forced to isolate
Posted Nov 17, 2020 3:08 pm.
Last Updated Nov 17, 2020 3:09 pm.
EDMONTON (660 NEWS) – NDP leader Rachel Notley is calling on the UCP to implement sick pay measures for health care workers who are sick or are required to isolate and have run out of federal benefits.
Notley says we need to take care of our frontline workers by making sure their needs are met.
“These workers don’t have the luxury of unlimited weeks of paid isolation time like the premier does. We cannot ask frontline healthcare workers to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table,” said Notley.
“Now I’m obviously very disturbed to hear that a nurse that’s been fighting on the front lines of this pandemic is herself now sick. And on top of that, she’s being forced to go without pay as she recovers.”
She adds that the province’s TraceTogether app is not working as it’s supposed to, and she thinks Premier Jason Kenney is being petty by refusing to use the federal app.
“They argue that their broken app is better than the federal app because their broken app automatically links to their broken contact tracing system.”
She says she believes Kenney should apologize for the ineffectiveness of the app.
“The premier needs to apologize to Albertans. First of all, for lying to them in the middle of the pandemic. Secondly, for putting his own petty political grievances ahead of the health and wellbeing of Albertans.”
However, Health Minster Tyler Shandro says there are no problems with the provincial app.
READ MORE: Alberta’s COVID-19 tracing app used in fewer than 20 cases
“It is completely false that she continues to undermine the response to the pandemic and encourages people to not use one of these tools to relieve the pressure on our contract tracers,” said Shandro.
“That is what’s shameful (…), that’s what’s disgusting, that’s what shameful that she continues to do.”
The app has helped trace less than 20 cases since it was released in May and continues to have technical issues on some phones, while the federal app was developed in tandem with Apple and Google to make sure it works best on their devices.
