Dear MSVU and SMU Students,
We are your teachers, committed to your learning and inspired by your growth. We are the ones in the classroom with you—guiding your learning, managing lectures and assignments, grading, and celebrating your successes. We teach up to 60% of courses, depending on the term—and this term alone, we are teaching over 600 courses. Yet despite our essential role, part-time faculty face some of the lowest pay rates in Canada, along with zero job security, no health benefits or pension, and minimal support to perform our work effectively.
This is why we are on strike. Our fight is for respect, for fair pay, and for job security. We are ready to negotiate—we just want a fair deal that reflects the value of the work we do for students, for the community, and for our respective fields.
Why this matters to you
The conditions we work under directly affect your learning. When instructors are fairly paid and respected, we can focus all our energy on teaching and supporting you. Underpaid and precarious educators cannot always give the attention and consistency students deserve. By supporting fair treatment for instructors, you’re standing up for the quality of education that you paid thousands in tuition for.
The gigification of academic work is not the direction university education in Nova Scotia should be going. Current and future students deserve the high-quality education they pay for, and workers deserve to be treated with respect. At MSVU and at SMU, CUPE 3912 members believe our fight at the bargaining table is a fight for Nova Scotia’s future.
Key issues we face:
- Pay disparity: PT faculty at SMU and MSVU earn nearly 30% less than the national median. Even proposed raises by the University will still leave us far behind our peers
- Job insecurity: Part-time instructors must reapply for every course, every term. We never know if we will be losing our income the next term
- Lack of benefits and support: We have no health benefits, no pension, limited research funding, and often no access to office space or resources to teach effectively, and the way our students deserve
- Fair evaluations: We seek transparent and fair evaluation practices that recognize our professional autonomy without the risk of losing precedence or years of experience.
Our goal is simple: fair compensation, professional respect, and stability. This is not just about us—it’s about ensuring that your education is high quality, consistent, and supported by instructors who are valued.
How you can help
- Stay informed by following updates from CUPE 3912
- Talk with your professors in the picket line. We love to see you and chat with you there.
- Share accurate information and encourage open dialogue about the strike.
- Visit: forourfuture.ca and send a letter of support, and share this link widely! The more support workers have from students and our community, the shorter this strike will be.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and support. Together, we can ensure that our academic institutions live up to the values of fairness, respect, and academic excellence.
In solidarity,
Part-Time Faculty at MSVU and SMU