News

After a long final day of conciliation, we were unable to reach a fair agreement with our employer, and as of tomorrow morning, Thursday, 23  October, we will officially be on strike.

You have already received communication about what this means for your labour and about where to meet to begin picketing and other strike duties. When you arrive at the picket line, please check in with a picket captain to make sure your picketing hours get correctly recorded. For those picketing outdoors: please dress comfortably and appropriately for the weather. If you have been assigned for other strike duties after 4:30 PM or if you have any questions about your schedule or the location, please email Erica or Neil. You can also call Neil at 416-906-3006.

Once again, if you are reading this notice and haven’t provided a non-university  contact email, please do so by filling out this form.

You can keep your students informed without crossing picket lines by setting your out-of-office reply to the following message:

Dear students and colleagues,

I will not be responding to work emails for the time being, as I am on strike in pursuit of a fair working contract. I will address your email once an agreement has been reached with Saint Mary’s administration. For regular labour updates, visit CUPE3912.ca or follow us on social media @CUPE3912.

In solidarity,

[Your name]

Your efforts matter to our collective bargaining process. Our victories are our students’ victories, because our working conditions are their learning conditions. Our fight today makes for a better classroom in future.

October 22, 2025

• Get ready for a strike tomorrow! Although it may not happen – we can always hope for a last minute agreement – we are ready! Please read the emails from your union carefully, especially the one earlier today (“What to Expect If a Strike Is Called” from Erica Fischer and Neil Balan).
• I’ve heard rumours that there may be food, clothing and other swag for us on the picket lines.
• I hope you have been encouraging our students to join us on the pickets lines if we are on strike. Please welcome them.
• A big THANK-YOU to our CUPE 3912 president, Lauren McKenzie, and the CUPE 3912 executive and bargaining teams. I know how much goes on behind the scenes. It is a lot of work! The work they do in getting us a good deal is much appreciated!
• Our colleagues at CAUT are ready to support us. Flying pickets are coming in for support on Friday!
• The strike has started at the Mount. Jessica from the Mount bargaining team reports: There are about 30 faculty here along with students, some full-time faculty and two dogs. The weather is great and everybody’s happy. We’re making signs and ringing cowbells. People are concerned and worried and want to get back to work, but we are ready to fight for a fair deal.

In solidarity,
Karen Harper
CUPE 3912 SMU strike committee member

Following the final round of negotiations today, October 21, MSVU CUPE 3912 has confirmed that strike action will proceed, beginning at 12:01 p.m. on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, as no agreement was reached with the employer.

The strike will officially start with a gathering at noon on Wednesday, October 22, at the Seton Building entrance. From that point onward, teaching will cease, and no new materials or assignments will be provided. Staff will also halt the grading and return of any assignments during the strike.

At the initial meeting, we will organize and begin the picketing process. For those unable to attend in person, a summary of key updates will be sent by email.

Further updates will be shared as the situation develops.

For more information, contact your strike committee:
vp.msvu.cupe3912@gmail.com
cupe3912.msvu.steward@gmail.com

After a long day of conciliation Dalhousie bargaining team is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with our employer. We believe this agreement is a fair deal and will set us up to continue to make progressive gains in future rounds of bargaining. This agreement now needs to be ratified by a member vote. The details of the agreement and a link to a confidential voting form will be sent in a separate email in the coming days with additional details. Please watch for this important email in the coming days! Please familiarize yourself with the offer, contact one of the Vice Presidents with any questions here, and vote to make sure your voice gets heard.

Monday, October 20th at 6 PM Atlantic time, there will be an online session for our international members to ask questions to labour and legal experts regarding the right to strike and student/work visas.

Check your emails for the zoom link.

Asaf Rashid is a Halifax-based immigration lawyer will attend to answer questions.

International students and workers strike factsheet_2025 10 20

CUPE National Convention 2025 

Report by Lauren McKenzie 

Submitted Oct. 17, 2025 

Sunday, Oct. 5 – Sector Meeting 

This was a gathering of post secondary folks from across the country and in all job classifications. We discussed the PSE sector resolutions that have been identified for our sector. Resolution 11 is an anti privatization resolution at services that have been contracted including food service, custodial, etc… 

Monday, Oct. 6 

The opening day of convention features speakers and formalities about voting. Business of convention included resolutions and constitutional amendments. The NS Caucus took place today. Alan Linkletter was previously elected as the regional VP, so no elections were held. There were discussions about who would run from our region for general VP, and that is Sherri Hillier from Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 morning session 

Heard Bea Bruske, the president of CLC speak to the delegation about the state of the labour movement in Canada. She said that PM Mark Carney has taken a strong right position and is planning cuts to essential public services. Every policy the government puts on the table has to support workers. Workers are not a cost to be managed, we are the engine of the economy. She encouraged the delegates to get involved in politics – at every level to fight for an economy that centres workers. 

Anti Racism Strategy Presented 

1. Governance 
2. Representation 
3. Education 
4. Lived experience 
5. Organizating 
6. Bargaining with anti racist focus, etc… 

Women’s Caucus 

Heard from a guest speaker – a Palestinian woman about the state of women’s work and health in Gaza. Women used to work in the public sector and that has been destroyed. The suffering of women is ten fold in Gaza: 

• without hygiene products 
• Giving birth with no anesthesia 
• C-sections without pain killers 
• No post natal especially care such as incubators 
• Higher rates of miscarriage 
• Mother’s can’t reach children at day care, etc…when Israeli army is present
• Women and children are most at risk and vulnerable 

Relevant resolutions to the women’s caucus were discussed, including Reso 235; Reso 95; Reso 60; Reso 105; Reso 193; Reso 804 freedom flotilla with CUPE members who are likely to be arrested and abused by IDF; C8 

Constitutional amendment re. The complaint process within CUPE needs to be improved to better protect members there must be a streamlined process; based on trauma-informed practices and increase the availability of resolution based intervention and non punitive based processes. 

• Resolution language comes from consultation with members and survey 4500 members completed and the legal branch and safe spaces committee 
• The amendment was adopted by the delegation which required a ⅔ majority. Lee Saunders – AFSCME 

Labour leader from Washington DC spoke about the attack on workers by the Trump administration. 

• The BBB is a hit job on working people 
• Food assistance cast vulnerable families into despair 
• Government shut down is a disaster 
• Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars (MLK Jr) – our star is getting organized. 

Strategic directions 

NEB read through the draft Strategic directions 

Report from National Post Secondary Task Force and Resolution 204 passed! This was the resolution that we put forward and it advocates for a national post secondary act and that CUPE resources be dedicated. This includes advocacy to protect jobs and post secondary education. 

Wednesday, Oct 8, 2025 

Voting Day! 

There was an election for National President this year – and it was exciting to see democracy at work in our union. The electronic voting devices malfunctioned and the vote went to paper ballot for the 2000 plus delegation. Mark Hancock was reelected with 1700 + votes. 

Alan Linkletter was elected as Regional VP and Sherri Hillier as General VP Atlantic/Maritimes. 

The afternoon included resolutions and constitutional amendments. There was a lot of debate about Reso 113 BDS. There was even debate about how to vote – be it secret ballot or not. The doors were ‘tiled’ and there was a lot of discussion about parliamentary procedures and a

motion was made to have a secret ballot. We then took a standing vote where each member stands in favor or opposed to the motion of secret ballot. Delegates on the floor voted to hear the results when we reconvene in the morning. 

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 

First order of business was the results of CUPE 3912s second resolution submission and I was disappointed it was defeated by a vote of 823 to 641. 

Constitutional amendment C12 was debated. The amendment has been brought to convention floor for many years and aims to add 5 diversity vice presidents. Currently, CUPE has 2 DVPs – Indigenous Workers and Black and Racialized Workers. If passed, the National Executive Board (NEB) would welcome a 2SLGBTQI+; Francophone Workers; Workers with Disabilities; Women; and, Young Workers. A supermajority is required (⅔) and the amendment was voted down. This tells me that CUPE has a lot of work to do to include more diverse groups at convention so that the delegation represents our members and their diversity. This was considered a blow to our solidarity by equity deserving members and our supporters. 

President of Unifor, Lana Payne 

Spoke about Carney’s trip to Washington because of the actions of our government. ⅓ of workers in Canada are trade dependent. Trump is coming for our industrial sector jobs. 

National Trustees were elected and sworn in. 

Member facilitator luncheon was a great opportunity to connect with facilitators from across the country. CUPE National Education Director, Tammy Kelly, thanked us for the work we do and described future plans for union education including advanced training and a new series: ARC – Anti Racist CUPE. Several workshops currently on offer include Challenging racism; Indigenous cultural safety; and, Solidarity with workers in Gaza. There are a number of sessions being developed and will be announced in the coming months. CUPE educational offerings can be found here. 

Resolutions re. Strike protocols in extreme weather, 911 services and safe drug supply. 

We heard from Magali Picard, FTQ president. Who talked about solidarity across union borders in the climate of rising facism. 

Friday, Oct. 10 

Throughout the week, the delegation worked on the strategic directions policy document for the next two years and we finalized and voted on that.

I had any conversations with delegates and staff about what is happening in 3912 and the possibility of job action across multiple units. Much solidarity was expressed! I heard from a young worker from Ontario who follows us and said they loved our presence on social media.

Read the article here.

CUPE 3912 resolution was passed at CUPE National Convention with broad support! This means CUPE has to dedicate resources to lobby all levels of government for increased funding and a national education act and raise public awareness about post secondary workers and to fight cuts to protect our jobs.

Resolution text:

CUPE WILL 

• Renew campaigning through lobbying and mobilization of all levels of government for comprehensive, public post-secondary funding. In particular, CUPE will pressure the federal government to legislate a national Post-Secondary Education Act with statutory, accountable federal funding for post-secondary education. 
• Develop resources for locals and chartered organizations to raise public awareness of the value of CUPE’s Post-Secondary Education Workers, support efforts to fight post-secondary education cuts, and protect these members’ jobs.

BECAUSE

• Post-secondary across Canada is in crisis, exacerbated by federal policies impacting international students and by chronic underfunding by both federal and provincial governments;
• This crisis has led to ongoing job losses and increased precarity for academic, technical, trades, service and support staff CUPE members;
• Stable and fair models of public funding are required to provide the education and research that drives the Canadian economy, supports families, and resources the country’s labour market, which are essential to supporting and retraining workers and communities impacted by the Trade War;
• Inadequate public funding of the system results in poor quality education, cuts to the services students need for their success, and higher tuition fees that make education and training harder to access for working class families and young people.

SUBMITTED BY CUPE LOCAL 3912

CUPE 3912 stands in solidarity with SUNSCAD in their fight to maintain 24-hour studio access for students. This is a struggle that directly impacts our TA and RA members, many of whom are students, with many having other commitments requiring that they commute from afar. 

As mentioned by SUNSCAD, “disabled students at NSCAD continuously face egregious harms stemming from the structural, attitudinal (how we think about and interact with disabled people), and architectural barriers to accessibility present at the university.” Having uninterrupted access is a critical part of a studio-based arts education, especially for upper-year and graduate students. Not only is 24-hour studio access a long-standing and critically important part of the student experience at NSCAD, it is a key selling point that draws in students internationally.

On behalf of all ICA instructors, TAs, and RAs at NSCAD I would like to applaud NSCAD University administration and interim president David B. Smith on their commitment to engage in reasonable discussion on this issue, and on their decision to pause the implementation of limited studio hours until a satisfactory solution can be found.

CUPE3912 unequivocally supports SUNSCAD in their demand that 24-hour studio access be preserved.

I urge our members to support SUNSCAD and the students in whatever way they can, including emailing University administrators to make yourself heard on this issue.

Please find SUNSCAD’s statement here. 

For Immediate Release September 16, 2025

Talks stalled at SMU as academic workers prepare for possible strike 

Halifax, NS – After almost a year at the table, negotiations with part-time faculty at Saint Mary’s  University (SMU) hit an impasse Thursday afternoon. Workers took a strike vote last week, with  87% of votes in favour of job action. 

“We made every effort to identify the issues that are most pressing to our members and came to  Thursday’s conciliation meeting ready to get a deal,” said Lauren McKenzie, President of CUPE  3912. “Unfortunately, the employer was unwilling to engage on any ‘non-monetary’ proposals— that is, they wouldn’t discuss any issue except wages.” 

Key items still on the table include improved stipends, but also proposals on faculty  appointments and contract timelines.  

“We have absolutely zero job security,” says Erica Fischer, part-time instructor and Vice President with CUPE 3912. “We have separate contracts for every single class we teach, and  we apply and re-apply for those contracts, every single term, for every single class. No one has  any guarantee they’ll be employed a few months down the road. We have been working like this  for years.” 

Part-time faculty at SMU are asking for guaranteed work for instructors who have taught for at  least three consecutive years. This would mean part-time instructors who have taught one class  every term for three years would be guaranteed a contract for one class every term for the  following three years. If an instructor taught two classes every term for three years, you would  be guaranteed to teach two classes for the following three years.  

“All we’re asking for right now is that part-time faculty get some guarantee of income beyond the  current academic term,” continued Fischer. “And the employer is unwilling to even talk about  this.” 

Part-time faculty at SMU are also among the lowest paid university instructors across the  country, earning a stipend just over $6,000 per course, per term. Even at the highest  courseload, this amounts to no more than $28,000 from September to April.  

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3912 represents approximately 150  part-time instructors at SMU, with 30 more workers having lost their job in course cuts this past  May. CUPE estimates around 30% of SMU courses are taught by part-time faculty.  

“Liveable wages, long-term contracts, and a path to permanent employment would all have a  huge impact on our quality of life,” said Neil Balan, part-time instructor and CUPE 3912  member. “The university benefits so much from having experienced instructors, while pushing  postsecondary education towards a gig economy model. You can’t have it both ways.” 

For more information, please contact: 

Lauren McKenzie
President, CUPE 3912
president@cupe3912.ca 

Haseena Manek
CUPE Atlantic Communications  Representative
hmanek@cupe.ca