News

CUPE 3912 supports our colleagues at CUPE 2361 at Western in their fight for fair compensation and improved working conditions. CUPE 2361’s members are essential for the function of academia and innovation, and their demands must be met for Western to continue offering quality education and to conduct cutting-edge research.

On July 12 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, CUPE 3912 will be hosting a BBQ for members. We will be serving corn with lots of toppings, cake, coffee and other cold drinks! The location will be the Former Art Bar at 1873 Granville St, Halifax, NS B3J 3L6.

This is a great opportunity to meet other members and to ask questions (also an excellent opportunity to enjoy a free meal).

If you plan to attend, please fill out this RSVP form as soon as possible, as we need to know how much food to prepare. The RSVP form is also a place for you to let us know if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions! Feel free to bring friends, just let us know in the RSVP form how many folks to expect.

Hope to see you there!

On June 21, we acknowledge the ongoing, fierce advocacy of Indigenous CUPE members and Indigenous people across the country. As part of Canada’s largest union, we acknowledge that it is more important than ever to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples to their unceded territories, as well as to preserve and protect their cultures and languages.

CUPE stands in solidarity with Indigenous nations, communities and organizations and is committed to continuing to work towards reconciliation, and to respect our ongoing treaty relationships.

For resources and actions to learn and to reflect on the ongoing harm caused by colonialism and Canada’s treatment of Indigenous people see CUPE National’s guide.

We are excited to invite you to join us for the 2024 Truro Pride Parade! This annual event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate diversity, inclusivity, and the strength of our community.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
Meeting Time: 12:30 PM
Parade Start Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Colchester Legion Stadium, Lorne Street, Truro
Parade Route: From Colchester Legion Stadium to Civic Square

Look for the CUPE Nova Scotia van at the stadium where we’ll be decorating and getting ready for the parade. It promises to be a day filled with fun, community spirit, and colorful festivities. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this significant event and would love for you to join us in showing our support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Let’s come together to make this year’s Pride Parade a memorable celebration of love and acceptance.

If you have any questions or need further information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We look forward to seeing you there!

#2slgbptqia+ #pride2024

Please see the attached letter in support of Bill 435.

Throughout March we held a general meeting and unit meetings for each bargaining unit. Resulting from this, we have our elected officials for the next year.

Thanks to all who ran, and thanks to our outgoing officers for their service to CUPE 3912.

Contact information for executive officers can be found here.

Executive Officers

• Lauren McKenzie, President
• Tanya Bilsbury, Communications Officer
• Jean-Philippe Bourgeois, Secretary-Treasurer
• Aiden Farrant, Recording Secretary
• Claire Drummond, VP NSCAD
• Greg Nepean, VP MSVU
• Samantha Williams, VP SMU TAs
• Erica Fischer, VP SMU PT Faculty
• Carlos Pessoa, VP Dalhousie PT Faculty
• Holly Hanes, VP Dalhousie TAs/Markers, Studley Campus
• Hadi Matin Rouhani, VP Dalhousie TAs/Markers, Sexton Campus
• Mohammad Ramezani, VP Dalhousie Truro Campus

Non-Executive Officials

• Nolan Dickson, Steward, SMU TAs
• Rebecca Roher, Steward, NSCAD
• Jordan Dempsey, Steward, Dalhousie
• Jonathon Tot, Steward, Dalhousie
• Shehzeen, Steward, Dalhousie
• Jenna MacPhee, Steward, Dalhousie
• Neil Balan, Steward, SMU PT Faculty
• Kim Robinson, Membership Officer

Bylaw Committee Members

• Cameron Ells
• Erica Fischer
• Carlos Pessoa
• Greg Nepean
• Shehzeen
• Mohammad Ramezani

Newsletter and Education Committee Members

• Janet Fu
• Wenceslao Amezcua
• Mohammad Ramezani
• Shehzeen
• Kim Robinson

On Tuesday March 26 at 7 p.m., the Annual General Membership Meeting (AGM) will be held in-person and online (hybrid).  At this meeting, the following Executive Officer positions will be up for election:

1. President
2. Recording Secretary
3. Secretary-Treasurer
4. Communications Officer
5. Membership Officer
6. One (1) Trustee (3 year term)
7. Up to 6 members of the Newsletter and Education Committee
8. Up to 6 members of the Bylaws Committee

All members of the Local are eligible for nomination for these positions. Learn more about these opportunities here. Members interested in standing for election to any of these roles can contact Renee Danker, our Office Manager, to put their name forward as candidates. Members can also be nominated at the meeting.

In Person location: Room 224 of the Dalhousie Student Union Building (6136 University Avenue).

Zoom link: Contact Kim Robinson, our membership officer

Please consider taking the opportunity to serve on the local’s Executive Board, as a member of a Negotiating Committee for one of our bargaining units, as a Member of the Bylaws Committee, or as a Member of the Newsletter Committee.

The following Executive Officer positions will be up for election at our March Annual General Meeting:

1. President
2. Recording Secretary
3. Secretary-Treasurer
4. Communications Officer
5. Membership Officer
6. One (1) Trustee (3 year term)

Please note:

• All members of the Local are eligible for nomination for these positions.

• The President and Secretary-Treasurer, both Signing Officers, must be available to carry out duties in person at the CUPE 3912 office.

• A member may accept nomination for a position while holding office in any position. If successful in the election, their resignation from their current position will take effect at that time.

• To be eligible for nomination, a member must be a member in good standing as set out in Article B.8.3 of the National Constitution.

• All duly elected Officers shall be installed at the meeting at which elections are held and shall continue in office for one year or until a successor has been elected and installed, provided, however, that no term of office shall be longer than three years.

• The terms of office for Trustees shall be so that one serves for a period of three years, one for two years, and one for one year, as laid down in Article B.2.4 of the CUPE National Constitution. Each year thereafter, the Local Union shall elect one Trustee for a three-year period. No member who has been a signing officer for the Local Union is eligible to run for Trustee, until at least one full term of office has elapsed.

• Honorarium per year: President – amount equivalent to 2.0 full-year courses; Recording Secretary – amount equivalent to 0.50 full-year course; Secretary-Treasurer – amount equivalent to 0.75 full-year course; Communications Officer – amount equivalent to 0.50 full-year course; Membership Officer – $500, Trustee – $500 per audit.

• Members interested in standing for election to any of these roles should contact Renee Danker, our Office Manager, to put their name forward as candidates. Members can also be nominated at the meeting.

The following Executive Officer and Steward positions will be up for election at Unit Membership Meetings:

Dalhousie

1. Vice President – Part-time Instructors at Dalhousie University
2. Vice President – Teaching Assistants at Dalhousie University (Sexton Campus)
3. Vice-President – Teaching Assistants at Dalhousie University (Studley Campus)
4. Vice-President – Dalhousie University, Truro Campus
5. Steward – Part-time Instructors at Dalhousie University
6. Steward – Teaching Assistants at Dalhousie University (Studley Campus)
7. Steward – Teaching Assistants at Dalhousie University (Sexton Campus)

Mount Saint Vincent

1. Vice President – Part-time Instructors at Mount Saint Vincent University
2. Steward – Part-time Instructors at Mount Saint Vincent University

Saint Mary’s Part-Time Faculty

1. Vice President – Part-time Faculty at Saint Mary’s University
2. Steward – Part-time Faculty at Saint Mary’s University

Saint Mary’s TAs

1. Vice President – Teaching Assistants at Saint Mary’s University
2. Steward – Teaching Assistants at Saint Mary’s University.

NSCAD

1. Vice President – Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, and Individual Course Appointees at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design 

Please note:

• Vice-Presidents and Stewards for instructors must be teaching or have taught as an instructor of the bargaining unit whose CUPE 3912 members they will represent to be eligible for nomination, within the last three years. The Vice-Presidents and Stewards for Teaching Assistants must be working or have worked as a Teaching Assistant or Marker/ Demonstrator at the campus or university at which they will represent CUPE 3912 members to be eligible for nomination. In the event that no member meeting the nomination criteria accepts nomination, other members of the Local will be eligible for nomination.
   
• To be eligible for nomination, a member must be a member in good standing as set out in Article B.8.3 of the National Constitution.
   
• Honorarium per year: Vice Presidents – amount equivalent to 0.50 full-year course; Stewards – amount equivalent to 0.25 full-year course.
   
• Members interested in standing for election to any of these roles should contact Renee Danker, our Office Manager, to put their name forward as candidates. Members can also be nominated at the meeting.

What do stewards do?

• Encourage the participation of all members of the unit in union activity and maintain regular contact with the members to provide ongoing union awareness and education.

• Endeavour to identify candidates for Steward and other Local positions in their workplace, including but not limited to filling Steward vacancies and soon-to-be vacancies.

• Advise the members of their departments and Units, as applicable, with regard to matters involving the Collective Agreement.

• Report on issues facing Unit members.

• Be part of the Grievance committee of their Unit and in conjunction with the VP represent their members in grievance meetings.

• With the VP of their Unit, organise meetings and activities for their Unit and coordinate member outreach such as orientations and information sessions.

• Provide a written report of their activities to the membership at Unit meetings and to their VP.

Negotiating Committees:

A couple of bargaining units will also elect up to two (2) members from their bargaining unit (who preferably have current contracts under the applicable Collective Agreement) at their membership meeting for their Negotiating Committee.

• Members of the Negotiations Committee must represent the interests of all members of the bargaining unit.

• Committee members get paid up to $500 per year, per position payable upon completion of their role.

Bylaw Committee 

Up to 6 (six) members in good standing will be elected at the Annual General Membership Meeting to review the Bylaws.

• All members of the Bylaw Committee are required to attend a CUPE training session.

• For more information on what this committee does, check section 17. a. 2. of our Bylaws.

Education and Newsletter Committee 

Up to 6 (six) members, one from each bargaining unit, will be elected at the Annual General Membership Meeting for this committee, which is chaired by the Communications Officer.