NSCAD Solidarity Rally March 4 at 11am

The bargaining committee and employer will meet for the final time on March 3rd for our final day of conciliation. If this meeting does not produce a deal, CUPE 3912 will be in a legal strike position as of March 4th 2026. 

We will be hosting a solidarity rally at 11:00 am on MARCH 4th at the Granville Mall (5163 Duke Street). Afterwards, we will be marching to Province House to join in protesting cuts to arts funding. All CUPE 3912 members are invited. We need everyone to show up so we can make ourselves heard LOUD and CLEAR!

Invite your students, professors, friends, and members of the arts community. A strong show of support for the union puts pressure on NSCAD to make a deal quickly.

CUPE Press Release: Dalhousie’s Part-Time Architecture Faculty Join CUPE 3912

For Immediate Release February 20, 2026 Dalhousie’s Part-Time Architecture Faculty Join CUPE 3912 

HALIFAX, NS —Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3912 is pleased to  announce that part-time faculty in the Architecture Department at Dalhousie University  (Dal) are officially members of our Local as of January 14, 2026, retroactive to  November 2025. 

Architecture was one of only four departments at Dalhousie previously exempted from  the part-time faculty collective agreement. With this change, only part-time faculty in  Computer Science, Engineering, and Law remain outside the bargaining unit. 

This move brings part-time Architecture faculty working conditions into alignment with  standards at architecture programs across Canada. Instructors will now enjoy improved  compensation, a standard hiring practice, and have their seniority recognized. 

CUPE 3912 members voted to welcome the group into the Local in November 2025. An  amendment of certification was subsequently filed with the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board and was unopposed by Dalhousie University. The Board ruled to  include the Architecture part-time faculty in CUPE 3912 several months earlier than  expected. 

Motivated by the uncertainty created by the Dalhousie Faculty Association lockout last  fall, the Architecture part-time academics completed their organizing campaign within a  single academic term. 

CUPE Local 3912 represents approximately 300 part-time faculty at Dalhousie  University. Larissa Atkison, Dal VP for part-time Academics with CUPE 3912, welcomed  the decision. “Our unit is thrilled to welcome Architecture part-time academics into the  Local and looks forward to ensuring they receive the same protections and support as  other part-time academic members on campus,” said Atkison. 

CUPE 3912’s most recent collective agreement was bargained in October 2025. 

For more information, please contact: 

Lauren McKenzie
President, CUPE 3912
president@cupe3912.ca 

Mary-Dan Johnston
CUPE Atlantic Communications Representative
mjohnston@cupe.ca

February 2026 Update

Welcome current and new members! If you are new, you can head to our website here to read our FAQs, see events happening on our calendar here, and read this article about collective bargaining updated in August. Dalhousie, MSVU, and SMU PT Faculty, and SMU TAs negotiated a CA in Fall 2025. Please reach out to your VPs if you have concerns or questions. An update about NSCAD will be below.

Keep reading for more information!

Save the Date: AGM on March 23

CUPE 3912 is holding its Annual General Membership Meeting (AGM) on Monday March 23, 2025 at 6:30PM. Elections of officers and committees will take place. More information will be communicated about this soon!

NSCAD Conciliation Update

The bargaining committee and employer met with an appointed conciliator for 8 hours on February 9th, and again on February 10th until late in the evening. During this time, we were able to come to an agreement on most of the items in our proposed collective agreement. However, there remain some key outstanding items on which no agreement was possible. Due to the remaining gulf between the union’s position and that of the employer, Conciliation has ended in an impasse.

NSCAD workers are asking for a fair and equitable hiring procedure and meaningful job security protections — basic standards the union says are necessary in a first contract. Read more in a recent CUPE brief, in this news article, or head to the bargaining page to learn more.

A final meeting has been scheduled for March 3rd in which the union and the employer will make one final attempt to make a deal. If no deal is reached, we will be in a legal strike position.

Call on the President and Senior Management at NSCAD and implore them to reach a fair deal at the last conciliation session on March 3rd!

Call for Testimonials: Impact of Program Cuts

Across our union, positions are being cut impacting our members. We are interested in what these cuts are looking like and how they have impacted members. Please fill out this form if you would like to share your experience with cuts in your department and how that is impacting your career/life.

Responses will be kept anonymous unless you consent in this form. For example, it would say “testimony from a PT Faculty member at SMU”. I am hoping to collate responses into a blog post for the website.

If you are interested, please fill out this Google form linked below by March 1st.

February is African Heritage Month

Every February across Canada and in Nova Scotia Black and African Nova Scotian’s are honoured and celebrated, recognizing that this should be done year round. The 2026 theme for African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia is: “Strength in Unity – Moving Forward with Purpose, Prosperity, Power and Progress.” I encourage you to attend events being hosted at your institution if possible or in the community. You can find a calendar of community events here: https://bccns.com/events/

“Every year CUPE honours a Black ancestor, or someone who is making history today. This year we’re honouring Carol Wall.

Carol Wall was a fearless Black feminist and union leader. She dedicated her life to dismantling barriers, confronting inequality, and inspiring people to engage in courageous, transformative conversations.”

MSVU Unit Meetings and Social

Unit meeting on Thursday, February 26, 2026 from 4pm to 5:15pm

  • Following on a request made at the unit meeting in November, this special unit meeting will be to discuss cutbacks at the post secondary level and impact on part time faculty and on students. Please feel free to send examples you would like to discuss to either Katerina or Greg.

Halfway through term, almost Springtime! Social event-Thursday, February 26, 2026 @5:15pm

  • After the special unit meeting let’s get together at the Rook to relax, chat and unwind. More detail on offerings will be sent out closer to the event.

Unit meeting on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 from 6pm to 7:30pm

  • As required in the by-laws, this meeting will consist of elections to the role of CUPE3912 Vice-President, MSVU Part time Faculty and Steward, MSVU Part time Faculty for the 2026-2027 term.

MSVU and SMU PT Faculty Strike Photos

While the strike newsletters will stay on the website and some photos are shared, the local would like to have a member only accessible way to view photos on the website. If you took any photos or videos during the strike, please email our communications officer. A link and password will be shared once the photos have been received.

CUPE NS 2026 Award, Scholarship & Bursary Applications Open Now

“CUPE Nova Scotia is pleased to circulate the application forms for our 2026 awards, scholarships and bursaries, which can be found by clicking on the individual links below. Please make note of the deadlines for submitting applications, which are specified in the notes for each individual award.”

Find the applications at, novascotia.cupe.ca/2026/02/19/cupe-nova-scotias-2026-award-scholarship-bursary-applications/.

Winter 2026 Edition of the Instructor

Please send your story ideas, letters, articles, news, summaries, pictures and any relevant information for the Membership Spotlight to our communications officer by March 1st, 2026.

Talks Between CUPE 3912 and NSCAD Reach Impasse

The bargaining committee and employer met with an appointed conciliator for 8 hours on February 9th, and again on February 10th until late in the evening. During this time, we were able to come to an agreement on most of the items in our proposed collective agreement. However, there remain some key outstanding items on which no agreement was possible. Due to the remaining gulf between the union’s position and that of the employer, Conciliation has ended in an impasse.

NSCAD workers are asking for a fair and equitable hiring procedure and meaningful job security protections — basic standards the union says are necessary in a first contract. Read more in a recent CUPE brief, in this news article, or head to the bargaining page to learn more.

“People are moving to Halifax from elsewhere in the country to work at NSCAD, only to find out they’re guaranteed work for just three months once they arrive,” said Lachlan Sheldrick, Unit Vice-President of CUPE 3912’s NSCAD component. “That’s hard on our members, and it’s not a reasonable expectation from the employer. As a newly organized group, we’re trying to establish clear, fair hiring rules that provide stability and recognize experience.”

A final meeting has been scheduled for March 3rd in which the union and the employer will make one final attempt to make a deal. If no deal is reached, we will be in a legal strike position.

CUPE 3912 Executive Solidarity with Nova Scotia Student Strike

Your colleagues and peers at CUPE local 3912 support the Nova Scotia Province Wide Student Strike to be held March 16 to the 21, 2026. We support Nova Scotia Student Strike in their fight for affordable tuition, divestment, and the right to strike. Above all, we support the call that our academic institutions must be shaped by those who receive and deliver those services.

Please know that you are not alone and we are all striving to improve our collective situation and shore up eroding rights for workers and students alike. Your victories are our victories, and we are honoured to support your goals and ambitions. We commend the bravery and unity as Nova Scotia Student Strike continue to organize and plan a week-long student strike.

For more information about NS Student Strike, you can find them on social media here: https://www.instagram.com/novascotiastudentstrike/

CUPE 3912 Executive Solidarity with Ubisoft Workers of Canada in Halifax

Your colleagues and peers at CUPE local 3912 stand with you after being laid off by Ubisoft. It is abhorrent that Ubisoft workers were laid off after recently unionizing, and we stand with you in your fight for answers and proper compensation after being fired.

Please know that you are not alone. Across the Union and at all levels in the labour movement, we are striving to improve our collective situation and shore up eroding rights for workers. We support your members in the next steps and join you in demanding transparency and clarity from Ubisoft.

Introduction to Structure Tests: A Power-Up Booster Session for the Entire O4P Community

We invite you to participate in a free single-session Organizing for Power workshop scheduled for Wednesday the 4th of February (or the following morning in Asia-Pacific). This session will focus on “Structure Tests”, the escalatory campaign actions that are critical to you winning your most important campaigns. We will run this individual session twice, at our usual times for our global audience. It will last no more than two hours and will take place entirely in plenary.

Whether you just finished O4P’s Power-Up program or haven’t taken an O4P course in years… whether you are mid-campaign or still trying to figure out how to get your organizing work off the ground… this session is designed to at once provide an introductory overview and an additive refresher on this vital topic. It likewise provides an opportunity for Power-Up graduates to continue your work, and for O4P old-timers to jump into the flow of our brand new programming stream.

Register now for Track A or for Track B of our 4 February Structure Test Booster Session.

December 2025 President’s Message

Dear members,

As we close out an intense and historic year for CUPE 3912, I want to take a moment to thank you—for your courage, your solidarity, and your commitment to one another.

The past year demanded a great deal from all of us. Across campuses, bargaining became increasingly difficult, employers resisted fair solutions, and many of you stepped into organizing, mobilization, and strike action for the first time. Through phone zaps, picket lines, postering campaigns, rallies, and daily conversations with colleagues, members showed up in extraordinary ways. The strength of our strike votes and the resolve on the lines sent a clear message: quality education depends on fair working conditions.

One of the most powerful lessons of this strike was the importance of communication and community. Our daily strike newsletter, media work, and member-led storytelling helped build trust, counter employer misinformation, and keep us connected during an incredibly challenging time. Just as importantly, many members told me that the relationships built on the picket lines were a highlight—proof that while employers don’t create community for us, we absolutely can and do.

As we move into the wrap-up phase, we’ve begun debrief sessions at SMU and MSVU, using an “apples and onions” reflection to talk honestly about what worked and what didn’t. While some members understandably felt stretched thin, I was encouraged by how many people spoke about solidarity, confidence, and connection. These reflections will shape how we strengthen our committees, build more capacity, and prepare for future bargaining.

Looking ahead, there is important work underway. We are continuing organizing efforts to grow the local, including bringing Dalhousie architects into the bargaining unit. Labour-management discussions are resuming, with commitments already secured around student evaluations at MSVU and an upcoming LMC with Dalhousie in early 2026. I am also committed to ensuring that retro pay is never again used as a bargaining delay tactic that costs members money.

Finally, after everything you’ve given this year, I want us to celebrate. I hope to establish a local-wide social committee and plan an event in early January so we can come together, reconnect, and recognize the strength and resolve of this membership. If you’re interested in helping with that—or in getting more involved in any aspect of the local—please reach out.

This year showed what CUPE 3912 is capable of. Together, we shifted the conversation about precarious academic work in Nova Scotia, strengthened our union, and demonstrated the power of collective action. I am deeply proud to stand with you.

In solidarity,
Lauren McKenzie
President, CUPE 3912

Architecture Part-Time Faculty in process to join CUPE 3912

We have exciting news from our November 25 unit meeting: our unit voted in favour of welcoming part-time academics from Architecture into our Local. They are now proceeding through the required formal processes with the employer and the Nova Scotia Labour Board, and we hope to welcome them as full members soon.

As part of the process, please see this notice to Dalhousie CUPE 3912 members: Form 10A Notice to Employees

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Gala – Report

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Gala – Report
Andrew Maize, NSCAD CUPE 3912, Bargaining Committee

I attended the CCPA Gala on November 6th as a delegate for CUPE 3912. I took a cab over to  the event with my driver Muhammad. It being 5:30, we leapt into discussion around the  everyone second favourite conversation topic – Halifax Traffic. He told me some nightmarish and  frustrating scenarios – and we agreed that it appears that the the city has no plan, and that the  proposed band-aid solutions (removing bike lanes WTF? and removing trees and houses on  Robie were not only insulting but useless. We discussed mass-transit options and limiting private  vehicle traffic on the peninsula. We caught the rising of the near full beaver moon while crossing  the new bridge. 

In the beer line, I spoke with two members of the Faculty Union at Saint Mary’s University, and  they spoke of solidarity with the then striking members of our local. I sat at the table with other  CUPE members, including the President of CUPE Nova Scotia. I introduced myself and  everyone was pleasant. I learned about how my fellow members got into working with the union  (a free meal was a common thread). I learned how busy everyone has been with all of the strikes  going on. We were seated in the front row, and I realized that we were head table once we got  called to the buffet FIRST! The menu was tuscan chicken, a nice sauce, with rice (or was it  potato?), veggies and a roll with butter. There were two types of salad, once with goat cheese,  and the other a caesar with bacon on the side. For dessert there we cookies and baked goods. 

We heard from all of the important projects and undertakings by Christine Saulnier, Director of  the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives-Nova Scotia. She spoke about their policy research  initiatives on housing, childcare, and advocacy for living wages standards for works in the  maritimes. The main speaker at the event was Leilani Farha, from her online bio “the former UN  Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing and Global Director of The Shift. Her work is  animated by the principle that housing is a social good, not a commodity. Leilani has helped  develop global human rights standards on the right to housing, including through her topical  reports on homelessness, the financialization of housing, informal settlements, rights-based  housing strategies, and the first UN Guidelines for the implementation of the right to housing.  She is the central character in the documentary PUSH regarding the financialization of housing,  screening around the world. Leilani Launched The Shift in 2017 with the UN Office of the High  Commissioner for Human Rights and United Cities and Local Government.” The format of the  talk was an Q and A with a journalist, but unfortunately was only about 20mins long, and the  questions were surface level and didn’t really go very deep into things. This was a shame  because Farha is a deeply knowledgable researcher on the housing crisis, and I think would have  had much more to offer on such a important matter. 

The event was an great introduction to her work and I look forward to learning more about these  initiatives. My participation also introduced me to other Union and progressive organizations  such as Fernwood Publishing, which I learned a lot about in the evening. Overall, my  participation allowed me to represent CUPE 3912 at a very visible event, and meet lots of people  in the community. These conversations and relationship will continue to benefit us as we work  towards our first collective agreement with NSCAD. 

Thanks for reading.