Blog

2026 CUPE NS Convention
Lachlan Sheldrick

SECTOR COUNCIL DISCUSSIONS

There was a scheduled meeting to discuss the creation of a CUPE NS sector council for post-secondary education. There has been discussion of forming such a council with local 4491 (SMU tradespeople), local 3131 (CBU support staff), and local 4198 (Acadia tradespeople). Currently, the primary obstacle is that these locals are not affiliated with CUPE NS. However, discussions are ongoing about forming greater relationships across the sector in Nova Scotia.

 RESOLUTIONS

Local 3912 had a resolution on the floor of convention to expand the eligibility of the strike fund. This is not something that is within CUPE NS’s power, and so the motion simply required that CUPE NS support efforts at national convention to make changes to the definition of a strike, including the requirement for lost wages during the time of the strike. The need for these changes comes from the precarious and seasonal nature of our work, where many members do not have an active contract at the time of a strike, and so cannot receive strike pay, even when serving on an executive or strike committee.

Ultimately this resolution did not pass, however productive conversations were had with Candace Rennick, the national secretary treasurer, about how best to pursue these initiatives at the national level.

ELECTIONS

During the course of convention, executive board elections were all uncontested and resulted in acclimation of the current executives to continue serving in their positions.

Committee elections proceeded and resulted in multiple 3912 members getting elected to committee positions. Delegates Holly Hanes and Tian Liao were both elected to committee positions. Delegate MJ Jackson expressed interest in applying for the open position on the CUPE Atlantic Maritime Region Indigenous Council.

Congratulations to all of our 3912 delegates for their elections and their involvement in the broader work of the union!

 LONG TERM CARE

The then-ongoing long term care strike overshadowed much of convention. The number of delegates were significantly reduced due to many of the usual candidates being out on the picket line instead. Donations to the long term care committee and support fund were made.

Delegates participated in a rally at the Halifax Convention Centre. The rally was well attended and showed immense solidarity with the striking LTC workers. The rally disrupted Premier Tim Houston’s state of the province address, a goal that was accomplished through chanting and loud music, and which was successful. Later that day, a cabinet shuffle was announced.

The last day of convention was punctuated by the announcement that the province had returned to the bargaining table and that the LTC bargaining committee would be returning to negotiations.

 ADVOCACY

Throughout the convention, I worked on strengthening our connections to and building solidarity with other sectors and locals within CUPE. On this front I was broadly successful, particularly with the education sector. Discussions about how to build solidarity, and discussions about the need to support expanding the strike fund’s eligibility were had, and there is definitely support for the initiative in this sector. Furthermore, conversations about how 3912 can best support education workers in k-12 as they move into bargaining in the near future were productive.

Likewise, connections and solidarity with acute care and healthcare sector workers were built. This initiative to build broader solidarity is ongoing.

In Solidarity,

Lachlan Sheldrick

President, Local 3912

2026 CUPE NS Convention 
MJ Jackson

I attended the CUPE Nova Scotia Convention held at the Westin Nova Scotian from May 24-27, 2026, as a delegate representing CUPE Local 3912. The convention brought together many CUPE members from across Nova Scotia, to discuss resolutions, elect positions, and hear from a variety of inspiring and influential speakers. I believe that our local was greatly successful in strengthening relations with other locals from around the province, and building solidarity through the opportunity for discussion that the convention provided.

At the time of the convention, long-term care workers were on strike, advocating for a living wage and better working conditions. Delegates participated in a rally on Argyle Street in support of these workers, which had an excellent turnout and demonstrated the strength of solidarity within our union.

CUPE 3912 also brought forth a resolution calling on CUPE National to expand the scope of the strike fund. Due to the fact that many contracts within our sector are seasonal, many members who perform strike duties are often not compensated for their time and commitment. Although our resolution did not pass, our delegates had a productive discussion on the issue with National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick.

Attending the convention gave me the opportunity to meet many wonderful union members from across Nova Scotia, and hear inspiring stories about the work being done in their locals. These conversations strengthened my belief in the necessity of the labour movement and solidarity as a whole. Overall, I found the convention to be productive and rewarding for my personal growth, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent my local.

In Solidarity,

MJ Jackson

SMU TA Interim Steward, CUPE 3912

2026 CUPE NS Convention Report 
Tian Liao

To begin with, I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to attend CUPE Nova Scotia’s 2026 Convention with delegates from my Local 3912. I am one of the over 5000 precariously employed academic workers across five universities in Nova Scotia, represented by our Local. While I am familiar with the work and concerns of my Local, I hoped to gain a better understanding of the issues affecting CUPE members across the province, how priorities are established, how resolutions are debated and adopted, and how members from different locals work together to advocate for change. As a delegate representing Local 3912, I also attended to share the experiences of academic workers with members in different sectors and to become more engaged with the broader CUPE community.

Main Focuses of the 2026 Convention

One of the strongest themes throughout the convention was solidarity. Delegates demonstrated solidarity with long-term care workers who were in their seventh week of strike, and it is important that we support workers across sectors. Other important focuses included support for new Canadian members through education on immigration laws, mobility and challenges faced by Indigenous and racialized workers, climate change and pollution, the privatization of health care, and the rising cost of living.

Outside the formal sessions, I spoke with delegates and guest speakers from different sectors. I shared some of the challenges faced by members of my Local, CUPE 3912, particularly precarious employment and the difficulty of maintaining member engagement because many positions are contract-based. These conversations also gave me the opportunity to hear how other locals have addressed similar issues through organizing, advocacy, and member outreach. Although our workplaces differ, many of the concerns we discussed were shared across sectors.

I want to highlight two presentations from this year’s Convention. The first was by Tracy Pinder, CUPE Atlantic Regional Director, who spoke about the importance of being proactive and how we can interpret the changing world order. With a rapidly shifting world order as the backdrop, we need to think about what these changes mean. We need to think about what world we want, and we can decide what happens next. The second presentation was by Stacey Gomez, Co-founder and Executive Director of The Centre for Migrant Worker Rights Nova Scotia, who spoke about the experiences of Temporary Foreign Workers in Nova Scotia. This presentation explained the difficulties faced by Temporary Foreign Workers and the importance of advancing the rights, equality, and well-being of migrant workers.

This year’s Convention broadened my understanding of the challenges experienced by workers across Nova Scotia. It also reminded me that many of these issues are connected. The Convention gave me a broader perspective on the successes CUPE members have achieved, the challenges that still need attention, and advice on how to strengthen member engagement and solidarity.

After this year’s Convention adjourned, I reflected on what I learned from the Convention with delegates from my Local. I also met with members in my Local to share what I learned at the Convention. Through this report, I want to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of CUPE Nova Scotia members, and I hope my report helps raise awareness of the issues that members are actively working to address. I hope this report encourages further discussion, and I believe that meaningful change happens when members listen to one another, learn from different experiences, and work together.

In Solidarity,

Tian Liao

CUPE Local 3912

CUPE NS Convention Report 2026
Holly Hanes

 The multiple day CUPE Nova Scotia convention was my first CUPE convention since joining the executive three years ago. The convention this year consisted of multiple speakers on important topics to our local and other CUPE locals across the province. The three-and-a-half-day event was kicked off with registration on the evening of May 24^th. It was nice to see some familiar faces from the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour Convention from last fall and the CUPE Women’s Conference.

May 25^th opened with a smudging ceremony and a toast to public water, which was led by our colleagues from Halifax Water. After speakers, including CUPE NS President Alan Linkletter and CUPE National President Mark Hancock, we attended a rally for the striking long term care employees. This was probably the most inspirational involvement in a rally I have been a part of in my time with CUPE. Seeing everyone from across this province truly united and taking the streets to support our fellow workers in long-term care was amazing. During the rally, speeches were also led by NS NDP leader Claudia Chender, Melissa Marsman – President for the NS Federation of Labour, and Long-Term Care Coordinating Committee Chair Christa Sweeney, among others! The Tim and Barb song will forever be engrained in my memory and maybe in my favourites list after this rally. For those of you who have not listened to it – tiktok search it! The day ended with our banquet and a fun game of chase the ace!

Day three of convention discussed lots of important issues and resolutions brought forward by CUPE members from across the province. A main highlight of the convention for me and our local was speaking on behalf of our membership on a resolution we put forward to the floor. The resolution addressed our members concerns around strike pay. For those of you unaware, you must have an active contract to collect CUPE strike pay. While in many instances of work this makes sense, in ours it has been a direct tactic of the employers at all institutions to try to reduce the impact of a strike and disenfranchise our membership. All institutions had someone on the bargaining team and/or strike committee not eligible for strike pay in the rounds of negotiations this past time. While this motion was defeated on the floor, it does have lots of positive discussion around the topic with Candice (CUPE National) and sounds like we can work out an alternative for our memberships.

There was also discussion on the unreliability of Nova Scotia Power and its impact as a private corporation by the Political Action Committee, which was also a resolution I spoke in favour of. I personally have had many issues with NS Power and know several of our members have as well. We need a more economical, efficient, professional, accountable and reliable service in this province.

After lunch, Claudia Chender spoke to the room addressing numerous concerns around healthcare, education and other public sector positions being cut by the Houston government. In the middle of a strike with Long-Term Care, it was (and still is) clear that people who do the work run this province, not the buildings meant to house them. Claudia is an incredible speaker, who clearly supports the labour movement and union work. With the current government cuts, it is evident that unions need to stand together against this government to achieve a better quality of life for many Nova Scotians.

In the final remarks of the day, the Human Rights Committee provided an inspirational presentation. With opening remarks by Tracey Pinder (CUPE Atlantic Regional Director), the discussion was led by Stacey Gomez (co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Migrant Worker Rights in Nova Scotia) and Russel Brooks (Anti- Black Racism Program Coordinator with HRM in the African Nova Scotian Affairs Integration office). The panel did explain some examples and tactics employers have done to international migrant workers, as well as those who experience racism in the workplace. In our local we have several members who are here on student visas, and some from countries where unionization is illegal. It is helpful for us to attend these workshops to best support those members, especially should a unit need to strike.

The final day of convention, May 27^th, opened with reassuring news that the LTC and government would be going back to the table at 1pm. Obviously, we know the results of that meeting was not any different from previous ones, and was more for optics on the government’s side. Jennifer Benoit and Rod Wilson both spoke on health care in the province, specifically talking about Long-Term Care and the Nova Scotia Health Coalition.

I am excited to share that I was elected to the education committee for CUPE NS and will be representing 3912 with some incredible women from other locals across the province!

This was a great first CUPE Convention to attend and I made many meaningful connections and supports systems going forward. These connections will (and in some cases already have) indirectly supported our membership by sharing their lived experiences as union executives and members from many sectors.

Empowering Women Through Mental and Physical Health

Submitted by Twila MacDonald

The CUPE Nova Scotia Women’s Conference, Empowering Women Through Mental and Physical Health, was held on March 6, 2026, from 1:00–4:00 pm. The conference brought together union members and leaders to recognize the importance of women’s leadership and solidarity across the labour movement. The event created a supportive space for participants to reflect on the challenges women face while celebrating the strength, resilience, and contributions of women within CUPE and the broader community.

The conference began with greetings from several leaders within the labour movement. Participants viewed a welcome video from Candace Rennick, who acknowledged the ongoing work of women in unions and the importance of collective action in advancing equity. Opening remarks were also shared by Alan Linkletter, President of CUPE Nova Scotia, along with Sherry Hiller, Tracey Pinder, and Annick Desjardins. Each speaker highlighted the importance of supporting women’s leadership within unions, advocating for workplace equity, and continuing the fight for safe and healthy working conditions for all members.

Following the opening remarks, an Equality Statement was read, reinforcing CUPE’s commitment to inclusion, respect, and equity for all members. A Land Acknowledgement recognized the traditional and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples, reminding participants of the importance of reconciliation and the responsibility of unions to support Indigenous rights and justice.

The conference also recognized International Women’s Day, honouring the global movement for women’s rights and gender equality. As part of this recognition, the Bread and Roses poem was read aloud, reflecting the historic struggle of women workers for both fair wages and dignity. Participants then observed a moment of silence to honour the victims of domestic violence, acknowledging the ongoing impact of gender based violence in communities and workplaces.

A keynote-style presentation was delivered by Patricia Perry, who spoke about her experience attending the 5th World Conference of Women’s Shelters. Her presentation, Activism Down Under, highlighted the global efforts of women’s shelters and advocates working to end violence against women. She shared insights from international conversations about survivor support, prevention strategies, and the importance of collaboration across countries and organizations. Her reflections emphasized how local activism connects to global movements advocating for safety  and justice for women.

The latter portion of the conference focused on interactive and creative activities that encouraged connection, relaxation along with community building among participants. Members engaged in canvas and rock painting, tie blanket making and also casual activities such as crosswords and word searches. These activities supported the conference theme by promoting mental wellness and peer connection in a supportive environment.

Overall, the CUPE Nova Scotia Women’s Conference was a meaningful event that celebrated women’s contributions to the labour movement while highlighting the importance of mental and physical health. Through reflection, learning and shared activities, participants strengthened their sense of solidarity and renewed their commitment to advocating for equity  and wellbeing for women in workplaces and communities.

Lauren McKenzie 

Once again, the CUPE NS Women’s Conference on March 6 – 7 turned out to be one of my favorite union gatherings of the year. The event had fascinating speakers, fun activities and created opportunities for us women in the labour movement to connect. This conference is 

planned by the CUPE NS Women’s Committee and they take a holistic approach by making time for attendees to be inspired and to rest. The conference began with speeches from key CUPE NS and national staff and a video message from National Secretary Treasurer Candace Rennick – a favorite around here as she came to visit our MSVU and SMU strikes in the fall (with a big cheque for the local). We heard of a reading of the poem ‘Bread and Roses’ and got great gift bags to close the afternoon. That night was a reception with an amazing taco bar and drumming lesson – I had to miss this because of other responsibilities. 

The next day, the conference heard from speakers including 4 time Olympic kayaker and local, Karen Furneaux. She spoke about her incredible career as an athlete and then the turn her life took in 2023 when she was hospitalized and diagnosed with bi-polar II disorder. Karen talked about the ‘resilience framework’. I appreciated her perspective on how having routines helped her to heal and I could relate to that. When things get really stressful with the local, I lean into my routines – going for a walk, making a smoothie, calling a sister friend… 

She was so open and honest about her challenges and has written a book about her experiences. Holly and Jenna bought me a copy and Karen signed it: “To Lauren – you are the gold within” and I was so touched. Karen talked about how she had to tap into that winning spirit when she pulled up to every start line. 

I had a chance to connect with my incredible 3912 sisters and women from across our province who are incredible leaders, activists, care givers, mothers, friends, partners, workers and so so much more.

 Wenceslao Amezuca, MSVU Part-Time Faculty member

When I joined the Communications Committee, I did not know exactly what to expect. But very quickly it became a very positive experience for me. I met colleagues who really care about the union and the working conditions of part-time instructors. I’m not a strong activist in labour rights, but I care about issues that affect many of us, such as job security, low wages, and vulnerable working conditions. It felt good to work with people who share these concerns and are passionate about working in favour of all of us.

During the last year, our main work was to help prepare communication for our members. One of our important tasks was helping produce two newsletters that shared union news, updates, and information members should know about. We also had conversations about social media content, engagement strategies, and visual materials for communication. We discussed how to make our messages clearer and more accessible for members. Even small things, like the design of posters or infographics, can make a difference in how members receive information.

However, the biggest and most memorable moment of the year was the strikes in our Local. For me, it was an intense and unforgettable experience. There were also challenging and frustrating moments, but the process was extremely educational. I was learning by doing: writing updates, creating content, informing members, and helping share information during a very important moment for our union (not to mention the personal overexposure of being part of an ad campaign). I also had the opportunity to support the work of Katerina Allan, the very resilient MSVU Vice-President, and to see closely the leadership of our President, Lauren.

It was during the strike that I understood how important the Communications Committee can be. A strong and well-organized committee can help a lot in moments of crisis. It can prepare materials in advance, respond to unexpected situations, and reduce the stress that comes from not knowing what to do or who to contact for help.

For the future of the committee, I think it would be very useful to clearly define responsibilities. This can help avoid duplication of work and make communication more efficient. For example, it would help to know who is responsible for public communication, press releases, social media content, and who has the final word in approving what CUPE 3912 communicates publicly. Clear roles -or simply respect for the assigned roles– can help make the voice of our Local stronger, more organized, and more credible.

For me, being part of this committee has been a meaningful way to contribute to the union. When members are well informed, they feel more connected and more engaged. Good communication helps build the solidarity that we predicate among part-time instructors.

Of course, this past year, the committee could have been stronger. There were moments when we did not receive as much support as it needed (from inside and outside of the same committee). The challenges of the strike also moved different things, where the committee was not a priority. Even so, I believe we did our best to fulfill our mandate.

I am very grateful for the opportunity to be part of the committee and for everything I learned. I encourage other members to consider joining it. It is a meaningful way to support our union and to help keep our members informed, connected, and engaged.

Holly Morgan, Dalhousie Member

On March 6th and 7th, I attended the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour International Women’s Day Breakfast and the CUPE NS Women’s Conference. 

The breakfast, hosted in the NSGEU building in Burnside, was enjoyable and saw the distribution of the Sister and New Sister of the Year awards. The keynote speaker was a nurse who gave an inspiring talk about resilience and support in the face of her daughter’s cancer battle. She emphasized the importance of colleagues and supervisors who care about you as an individual rather than just a worker, and about how caring for her daughter impacted her approach to nursing and to union activism. 

The CUPE NS women’s conference took place in the afternoon, and the Friday sessions were primarily social. We received welcome messages from many senior CUPE representatives and were then invited to participate in a blanket tying session and to paint inspirational rocks and canvases. The evening event included African drumming and Tarot readings, and it was interesting to talk to CUPE members in healthcare and elementary education about the ongoing challenges in their fields. 

Saturday’s session began with coffee, and the highlight of the morning was an inspirational talk from Carol Murray, who survived a skydiving accident in 1997 and now works in corporate fundraising. She spoke at length about resilience and how strength comes from community, and she also focused extensively on workplace safety, a matter that may have prevented her accident. 

In the afternoon, we were joined by Olympian Karen Furneaux, who spoke about mental health, resilience, and recovery. Karen highlighted some of the qualities needed to overcome mental health challenges, particularly in light of ongoing strains within our healthcare system. She concluded her session by guiding us through some movement and stretching. 

These events serve as empowering reminders of the important roles women leaders can play in our unions, as well as of the importance or resilience in the face of adversity. They sought to empower union leaders in challenging times and fostered strong connections across CUPE and other local organizations.

Thank you for supporting my attendance!

El Hansen, Dalhousie TA

I had the opportunity to attend the CUPE Nova Scotia Women’s Conference this year. The experience was largely enjoyable, and I was able to converse with several fellow workers while enjoying some structured motivational speakers and educationals.

While I enjoyed the event, I overall found it lacking in political activism. Much of the conference focused on ways by which we as women might face adversary and continue to struggle despite that, which was well articulated, but the overall lack of politically oriented collective action stemming from this analysis gave me pause. 

In the agenda of the conference there was in fact no political action items specifically listed.

It was only because of a member from the floor who interrupted the proceedings to recommend the attendees sign a petition to the provincial government condemning the recent austerity budget cuts that political action was made an important facet of the conference. This I felt was a well-done element of our conference if a bit haphazard. But it was a shame that this was something that needed to be brought from the floor and not a core part of the conference’s political aims from the start.

This was especially true because the mood amongst the women in the room was one of justifiable anger and frustration at the provincial government and their recent attack on workers and our jobs as women. There was a recognition that something had to be done and the failure to utilize that righteous anger and channel it into political activism and education was a missed opportunity. 

I hope that the future women’s conference may continue to allow for inter-local fraternization but with a greater focus on militant union action. In doing so we will continue to build a mass movement of women workers and workers generally who might advance the progressive cause.

Dear Editor,

I write to you as a concerned member of CUPE 3912, the union representing NSCAD Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants and Individual Course Appointees currently fighting for fair wages at NSCAD (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design).

I am keenly aware that — given the current news cycle — any prospect of our comparatively small fight for living wages garnering significant coverage is an uphill battle. As a society, we are swamped daily by anxiety in local and global news. In the “grand scheme of things” (a phrase which seems to proffer more underlying structure than can be truthfully located in the world today) the demands of a few hundred per contract staff at an arts university understandably flies under the radar of most people struggling to make ends meet in their day-to-day lives.

Of course, there is the economy. Gas prices. War.

And… art?

We get it, we really do. But, hear us out: NSCAD has not given us a pay raise since 1984!

To put that into perspective:

The year is 1984.

Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I Love You” is playing on the radio, while Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ blares on the boombox. Bruce Springsteen is letting us know he was ‘Born in the U.S.A.’

At the cinema, we choose from ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘Gremlins’, and ‘Karate Kid’. Arnold Schwarzenegger tells us he’ll “be back”.

We lose Marvin Gaye and Truman Capote that year.

The very first Apple Macintosh computer is unveiled, its design resembling a typewriter. In a now infamous Super Bowl ad referencing Orwell’s famous dystopian novel, Apple declares “You will see why 1984, won’t be like ‘1984’”. Fair enough. But, for all of us fighting for fair wages at NSCAD, it turns out 2026 is an awful lot like 1984.

Our bank statements confirm it.

Yours truly,
A worker striking in the year 2026