We are happy to announce that SMU and MSVU Part-Time Faculty members have ratified the both tentative agreements. Members ate 88.6% of members at SMU voted to accept the deal; 90.4% at MSVU. Members will return to work and classes will resume on Monday.
Thanks and congratulations to the negotiating and strike committees, volunteers. And, thanks to all you supported us during the strikes.
The ratification vote is open to all CUPE 3912 PT Faculty members who have had a contract at SMU between Fall 2022 and Fall 2025. If you are eligible to vote and have not received a ballot to your SMU address please contact voting@cupe3912.ca.
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:
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
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
On Friday, November 7, our picket lines at SMU and MSVU will have CAUT flying picketers and rallies:
We are happy to announce that our Members have ratified the Tentative Agreement. The results were as follows:
This new collective agreement will pave the way in our ongoing relationship with Dalhousie, and gives leverage to our colleagues who are on strike at SMU and MSVU. If we can get a deal, so can they. Though not perfect, we are happy with the deal, and happy that it was received with open arms. This deal would not have been possible without the support and solidarity that we have in our unit. Thank you to all those who participated, helped to mobilize other members, and especially our fantastic strike committee. We would not have gotten here without any of you.
Please stand by for following communications regarding specifics and next steps.
Our resolution (resolution #204) at CUPE National Convention was adopted.
This means that CUPE will:
You can read the documents from the convention:
French:
Note: We need volunteers to be drivers for onsite picketing, and to support logistics. Please email vp.msvu.cupe3912@gmail.com to volunteer.
We now have virtual strike duties! Virtual duties are for those of you who are unable to be present at the picket line at MSVU; this option is only for members who have limitations due to work commitments outside of MSVU, place of residence, and accessibility needs that make on-site picket duties inappropriate. Sign up here.
Bring warm clothes, a lawn chair, and join us on the picket line. Please sign up for your shifts using this form.
First week in the books! Thanks to all SMU PT Faculty members who joined the picket lines or did other strike duties to support our collective fight for a fair deal!
The big event on Friday was the rally! I estimated approx. 100 people include PT and FT faculty, students, politicians, other union activisits and CAUT flying pickets from across the country as far away as BC coming to support us.
News stories:
After the rally – and making some loud noise close to where the administrators were hanging out – there was solidarity ice cream for everyone. There seems to be plenty of food. Every time I’ve been on the picket line there has been coffee, Timbits, drinks and sandwiches.
We now have a portapotty. Even though the Mount and Dal allowed picketers to use their washroom facilities, SMU has banned us from campus. There are other options a few blocks away. I’m not sure if any of them are official but if you buy something at a café you can usually use their bathroom.
SMUFU will join us every day!
There was also a rally at the Mount. The flying pickets flew from one rally to another today.
We’ll be back on the picket tomorrow Monday October 27th —come by and say hi anytime between 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM! If you have any questions, please email Erica or Neil.
