How Nurses Learned to Wear Two Hats: Professionals and Unionists

Nurses' Stories (1980-81): Story 3

I am a single parent with a young teen age daughter. We live at home with my parents because it is the only way I can afford to “Make ends meet” .

I have always worked at nursing. When my baby was small my parents looked after her. Now they are each over 70 and we look after them.

Financially, I could not make it alone. Between my parents and myself we live on 3 “salaries” , i.e. 2 old-age pensions, and my salary. I sat down one day and figured out how much money I really took home after deductions and I was shocked! By the time you deduct income tax, Canada Pension, Unemployment Insurance, Blue Cross, Unemployment Insurance, Pension contributions and pay professional dues there isn't a lot left over – just above the amount my parents get for each old-age pension/yr. So I guess you could say we are living on the equivalency of 3 old-age pensions.

I operate a car, my father owns an older one which is used to get the weekly groceries. If I didn't have a car I would spend a fortune on bus fares and taxis to and from work because the area in which I live is not serviced every 10-20 minutes by public transportation.

I guess what I am trying to say is – even as a nurse I would be better off living on welfare with others paying my bills than trying to do it alone.

Linda

Source: New Brunswick Nurses' Union.