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The National Union of Public and General Employees joins the NSGEU in grieving for member Kristen Beaton.
Ottawa (20 April 2020) — The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is shocked and saddened to hear of the mass killings that occurred in Nova Scotia this past weekend. During the attacks, at least one of our members, Kristen Beaton (NSGEU/NUPGE), was killed.
According to a Facebook post from the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU/NUPGE)
Kristen worked as a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) for the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) for five years. She dedicated her working life to caring for Nova Scotia’s most vulnerable. She was killed on the job, doing this critical work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kristen leaves behind a husband and a young son.
In the aftermath of her loss, her husband has asked us all to use our voices to advocate for proper protections and equipment for all of the coworkers who remain on the job during this crisis.
“It’s hard to think about the pain the families and friends of the victims must be experiencing right now,” said Larry Brown, NUPGE President. “Under normal circumstances, this would be a time for families and communities to come together to mourn. But because physical distancing measures are still in place, we must do our best to support our loved ones without being physically by their side. Staying home is one of the best things we can do right now to support CCAs like Kristen, as it helps break the chains of viral transmission. NUPGE will also honour the wishes of Kristen’s husband and continue advocating for proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to be distributed to front-line workers.”