Nova Scotia's 811 telehealth associates released a video on Tuesday to speak out on their staff shortages and how it is affecting their workplace.

The video from telehealth workers is calling on the Government of Nova Scotia to reopen their current contract to address their low wages. The contract is set to expire on Oct. 24. 

“It's to bring awareness to the public on what our workers are facing day in and day out, as they take phone calls from across Nova Scotia,” Vice President of Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) Hugh Gillis says. 

Telehealth workers are responsible for 24-hour calls from Nova Scotians seeking medical care. From there, the nurses working for the telehealth 811 line can inform the caller on the next steps or transfer the caller to 911 in emergency situations.

“The calls are gut wrenching. The working conditions are not ideal. Some of our folks are working 24 hours a day, on very, very low wages,” Gillis says.

The 811 workers are currently the lowest paid health care workers in the country. 

“It's hard to keep people working there for $18 an hour,” Gillis says. “The wages are very low, and it's hard to recruit and retain staff.”

The NSGEU represents nearly 36,000 workers in the province who provide public services to Nova Scotians. The 17 associates at telehealth are among those represented. 

When other opportunities come up with higher wages telehealth workers are inclined to take them, Gillis says. 

With around 152,000 Nova Scotians on the family doctor waitlist, calls to telehealth are increasing.

“We're a province of a million people, our population continues to grow. We're having new people move to our province, we are having new immigrants, refugees,” Gillis says.

Listen to the story below: