The Nova Scotia 911 strike has entered its third week as emergency dispatchers continue demanding higher wages and improved staffing levels. Workers say the current conditions are causing burnout, high turnover and increasing pressure on emergency services across the province.
Nova Scotia 911 Strike Continues
Emergency dispatchers represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 015 walked off the job on July 17 after contract negotiations with Emergency Medical Care Inc. (EMC) failed to produce an agreement.
The union says negotiations have continued for more than a year without meaningful progress on key issues, including wages, staffing and employee retention.
Workers Call for Better Pay
Dispatchers say they handle life-and-death emergencies every day but earn salaries that fail to reflect the responsibility of their work.
Jordan McVeigh, a communications training officer with EMC, said roughly 60 dispatchers answer medical 911 calls for more than one million Nova Scotians.
He believes better wages would help retain experienced workers and improve emergency response across the province.
Workers argue that many employees leave because they can earn similar pay in less stressful jobs.
Staffing Remains a Major Concern
The union says staffing levels reached dangerously low numbers throughout 2025.
Under Nova Scotia’s essential services agreement, EMC must maintain 20 dispatchers while the strike continues.
Union officials say this number is actually higher than the average staffing levels before the strike began.
According to CUPW, non-paramedic dispatchers perform the same duties as paramedic dispatchers but earn around $8 less per hour, contributing to ongoing recruitment and retention problems.
Company Says It Remains Committed
Emergency Medical Care Inc. says it remains committed to reaching a fair agreement through collective bargaining.
The company stated that it values its employees and will continue negotiating with the union.
Nova Scotia’s Department of Health and Wellness also encouraged both sides to continue discussions and reach a new contract as quickly as possible.
Outlook for the Nova Scotia 911 Strike
The Nova Scotia 911 strike continues without a clear resolution. Union members say competitive wages and improved staffing are essential to maintaining reliable emergency response services.
Both the union and employer remain under pressure to reach an agreement that protects workers while ensuring emergency medical dispatch services continue without disruption.
