cupe3912webmaster We had a ‘reset’ bargaining meeting where we discussed plans for returning to bargaining. It was the first time we met with the employer at the bargaining table since May 2021.
We are hopeful negotiations will proceed effectively and efficiently; however, we could only plan for dates in December 2021 due to our lack of availability. (It is difficult to schedule bargaining dates with 3 employers.)
Upcoming Bargaining Sessions:
October 1 is Treaty Day in Mi’kma’ki. The purpose of Treaty Day is to promote the public awareness of Mi’kmaq history and culture for all Nova Scotians, and to recognize the continued importance of these treaties.
In 1986, Grand Chief of the Mi’kmaq nation, Donald Marshall Sr., invited all Mi’kmaw to “observe October 1, 1986, and every year thereafter as Treaty Day to commemorate the unique and special relationship that exists between the Mi’kmaq and her Majesty.” Since then, on this day, all people in Nova Scotia are invited to remember and reaffirm the treaties signed between Mi’kmaq People and the British Crown.
Similarly, since 1993, October has been recognized as Mi’kmaq History Month. This is a month to celebrate Mi’kmaq culture and history. Across the provinces there are events that showcase this history.
CUPE 3912 members work in institutions that are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This land is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, which Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Passamaquoddy Peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1726, and were reaffirmed in subsequent treaties.
The Treaties of Peace and Friendship did not deal with the surrender of land and resources, but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik title, and established rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.
On Treaty Day and throughout Mi’kmaq History Month, take some time to learn about treaties, decolonization, and Mi’kmaq culture and heritage. As educators, we can incorporate this knowledge into our teaching. This year’s theme for Mi’kmaq History Month is “Exploring Treaties and Treaty Relationships.”
More information on the subject:
We are all treaty people.
Thursday, September 30, 2021, marks the first time the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a federal statutory holiday. This day coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which has been recognized since 2013 to honour Indigenous children forced to attend residential schools in Canada. The day is also a provincial holiday in Nova Scotia, PEI, and Manitoba.
Dalhousie, MSVU and SMU will all be closed on Thursday, and no classes will be held.
There are a variety of events this week, both online and in-person, that provide opportunities for “sombre reflection,” to acknowledge and commemorate the legacy of residential schools, and to further commit ourselves to undertaking the work of reconciliation.
Establishing a federal holiday “to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process” was proposed in 2015 as the 80th call to action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Members are invited to participate in a series of online focus groups with CUPE’s National Safe Union Spaces Working Group. The sessions are with external consultants to review existing tools and processes and identify gaps where changes or additional resources are needed to ensure safer union spaces for all members.
Some of the sessions are being held specifically for members of our equity-seeking groups. Members are welcome to attend the session for any group that they identify as a member of, and all members are welcome in the general sessions.
To see the schedule and register for a session visit: https://cupe.ca/safe-union-spaces-focus-groups
