CUPE NS Convention 2025 Report
Submitted by Lauren McKenzie
July 4, 2025 

CUPE NS is a political branch of the union and advocates for sectors and workers in our province. There are more than 22,000 members of CUPE NS from long term care, hospitals, municipalities, schools, airlines, post secondary and more. In March, 2025, Nan McFadgen, president of CUPE NS announced her retirement and I was immediately concerned about the fate of CUPE members in NS as Nan was such an incredible force and leader. In April, 2025, CUPE 3912 member Christine Saulnier informed me that she planned to run for the position and I felt an incredible sense of relief and optimism about the future of CUPE in our province. 

The executive first passed a motion to support Christine’s candidacy, then passed a special budget at a general membership meeting so that the local could send a full complement of 12 delegates to campaign for Christine at convention. We did this by handing out buttons and flyers and aiming to connect with CUPE members and locals from across the province to share information about our candidate and to ask them to wear a mutton and to vote for Christine. Over the course of convention we had countless conversations with delegates and made real progress in getting Christine’s name and platform out. 

There were only a few opportunities for Christine to speak to convention – one of those was the officer breakfast and the election forum. Christine spoke passionately about the issues facing workers in Nova Scotia and her knowledge and experience in all of the sectors was undeniable. She presented so well and we heard from many delegates that they felt Christine would be an excellent leader of CUPE NS. Local 3912 also put two resolutions forward for convention and both were successfully voted on and passed at convention. I have included those below. 

Ultimately, Alan Linkletter won the presidency. Alan is a long standing CUPE NS workers from Healthcare and comes from the largest local represented at convention. Alan was the frontrunner in the election, he was VP of CUPE NS and is well known through his work as a member facilitator. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to persuade enough members to vote for our candidate who was less well known in the provincial space. 

However, the convention was a real success. We now have several 3912 members who are on provincial committees and I was elected the alternate VP of central Nova Scotia. We made the biggest showing at convention in the history of the local and are now represented on committees and at the executive level. As our sector continues to face increasing financial and organizational challenges, it is crucial that the voices of our members are included and heard. I am extremely proud of the effort our delegation put forth and the way members of 3912 were represented at the provincial level.

CUPE NS Convention Resolutions – Passed 

Title: Support for CUPE Post-Secondary Education Workers in NS Amidst Postsecondary Education Crisis 

CUPE Nova Scotia WILL 

Commit financial and staff resources to raise public awareness of the value of CUPE Post-Secondary Education Workers in NS work and to support efforts to fight postsecondary education cuts and protect these members’ jobs. 

BECAUSE 

• postsecondary education in Nova Scotia is in crisis, exacerbated by federal policies impacting international students, chronic underfunding by both federal and provincial governments, and increasing threats of political interference from the provincial government; 
• this crisis has led to imminent job losses for CUPE 3912 members, with hundreds of course cuts expected and fewer positions available for precariously employed academic workers. 

Title: Support the Justice for Workers workers-first campaign 

CUPE Nova Scotia WILL 

• Endorse and join the Justice for Workers campaign for emergency measures that put workers and communities first, and that leave no one behind; 
• Communicate this decision to other like-minded community organizations, union locals, or central labour bodies; 
• Campaign for these measures to elected officials; 
• Help with photocopying posters and leaflets to support the campaign; and 
• Select at least one person to attend monthly Justice for Workers NS online organizing meetings. 

BECAUSE 

• Tariffs will result in dramatic job losses, which will not be confined to trade and extraction sectors; 
• Access to Employment Insurance (EI) system has been cut by successive federal governments and today only about 35% of unemployed workers receive regular benefits.
• Investment in public services and infrastructure not only make life more affordable for everyone, it also creates jobs and therefore helps the economy in periods of economic crisis. 
• We need a worker-first agenda that will protect jobs and strengthen our social safety net.

CUPE NS Convention (May 25-May 28, 2025) report

Erica Fischer, CUPE 3912 SMU VP-PT Faculty

After reading all the reports that have been submitted by the other delegates who attended this convention, I feel I don’t have more to add. However, since I’m required to submit a report for attending this event I will write about why I agree our participation at this convention was valuable and why it is important to keep sending as many delegates as possible and not just a few to these events.

A couple of reports mentioned that CUPE 3912 has not been traditionally represented at these conventions. That is not the case. The Local has regularly sent one or two delegates to provincial and national conventions for years except during COVID (from 2020 to 2022.) CUPE, I believe, only cancelled events in 2020, but our Local decided not to send delegates to any event in person in 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic.)  In 2023,  CUPE 3912 started attending these conventions again when we sent several delegates to the CUPE NS Women’s convention in Truro. Later that year, three or four members (TAs from the Dalhousie bargaining unit) were invited to participate at a panel at the CUPE NS Convention in Sydney, NS to talk about their experience during the DAL strike the previous year. That same year, we sent what we considered a large delegation of 5 delegates to an out-of-province event: the CUPE National Convention in Quebec City. In 2024, since the CUPE NS Convention was held locally, we were also able to send 5 delegates again. As a delegate to these last two conventions (CUPE National 2023 and CUPE NS 2024) and from previous reports submitted by delegates who attended other conventions in previous years, I know that our delegates have participated actively at these events by speaking to resolutions, voting on constitutional amendments, resolutions and motions, and interacting and establishing relationships with members of other Locals as well as with our own delegates with whom we don’t normally interact in person or outside executive meetings. 

What was different this time around was that we sent to this convention our largest delegation ever (12 delegates) well prepared and with a clear goal: supporting and canvassing for Christine Saulnier, one of our members, to be elected to the highest position at the provincial level: President of CUPE NS. In order to be successful, we did a lot of preparation beforehand, especially Christine who started contacting other Locals and attending their meetings to gain their support and get their endorsement a couple of months before the convention. In April and May, a couple of these Locals joined us at some of the meetings we held in preparation for the convention.  These preparation meetings were something new for our Local and I think we should continue having them so delegates know what is expected of them at these events. 

The coalition building that Christine started in March didn’t stop after she received the endorsements of some Locals for her campaign. As it had been mentioned in other reports, during convention all of us continue fostering relationships with other Locals and with those who had already endorsed Christine. All this work before and during convention paid off in building our presence and getting some of us elected to committees and Lauren as an alternate for a regional VP position. In order to keep the momentum our Local has gained and to be able to organize our sector and be included as a sector at the next CUPE NS convention, it is important that we continue growing and strengthening our relationship with these and other Locals regularly and not just in preparation for a convention.

For this convention, we also submitted two resolutions for which our delegates were asked in advance to be prepared to speak to (in the past I think we have just endorsed resolutions the post-secondary national sector or other Locals have submitted and asked for our support.) One of the resolutions we submitted this time was specific to our Local and the other one was to support Justice for Workers, which would ultimately support all kinds of workers. Several of our delegates spoke in favour of these resolutions and of others submitted by other Locals especially those coming from education workers. However, speaking to our own resolution about our sector was an excellent opportunity to make all the attending delegates aware of the precariousness of the working conditions in post-secondary education and more specifically of the issues and precarity members in Local 3912 are facing. More importantly, all of CUPE 3912 delegates who spoke to any of these and other resolutions on the convention floor shared their personal experiences in their workplaces, so everyone attending (delegates, staff, guests, national and provincial officers) heard them. These stories had been shared during one-on-one conversations at this and in past conventions, but now having several delegates stand up and go to the mics to broadcast these stories is what I believe really made our Local visible and present in the mind of the rest of the attendees.

Our large number of delegates was also very visible because on the first day all of us were wearing pink CUPE 3912 t-shirts, as well as buttons supporting Christine, and we all sat together as a bloc. The rest of the days we all continued sitting together, wearing our buttons, and several of us continued wearing CUPE 3912 t-shirts. In the past, some of us had worn these t-shirts, but we haven’t sat as a bloc because it’s not easy finding several places available for more than 2 people to sit together at these events. This time, however, instead of sitting wherever we could find a free spot (there didn’t seem to be enough for all of us), we requested tables and chairs for the whole group to sit together. 

It also gave the Local great visibility the fact that Lauren, our Local’s president, was asked to introduce the National President Mark Hancock as one of the speakers at the convention, and that Samantha Williams, the CUPE 3912 VP for SMU TAs, was awarded the Sean Foley CUPE NS Health and Safety Award. Our Local had nominated Sam for her contributions in fighting for accessibility and safety for all SMU TAs, and the full letter that was submitted as part of her nomination was read on the convention floor by the members of the CUPE NS Health and Safety committee. This was a big surprise that none of us was expecting. Since Sam was not in attendance, Aiden, who was one of the members who nominated her, went to the podium wearing his bright pink CUPE 3912 t-shirt to receive the award on Sam’s behalf and say a few words. 

For all this (and much more), I believe our participation at this event was very successful. We achieved many things we were not even considering we could achieve that started by engaging and mobilizing our own members to attend this convention. The vast majority of the delegates our Local sent had never been to a CUPE Convention (75% to be exact.) I’m happy to have been part of this delegation. It was a great learning experience for everyone, including those of us who had attended other conventions.

CUPE NS 2025 Convention 

Delegate Report 

Wenceslao Amezcua | June, 2025 

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend the CUPE NS 2025 Convention—a gathering that brought together union members from across the province to discuss key issues, share strategies, and shape the future of our collective work. 

It was my first time attending a convention of this scale, and the experience was both eye-opening and energizing. From learning about union governance and bylaws to connecting with delegates from other locals, the convention gave me valuable insights and practical tools that I’m sure will be useful in my role as an active member of our union unit. 

What follows is a reflection on some of the key takeaways and meaningful moments from my time at the event. 

1. Deep Learning in Governance, Laws & Bylaws 

Even when I wasn’t actively speaking on the floor, I absorbed a wealth of procedural and legal knowledge. 

• I learned how constitutional amendments are debated and passed—from both logistical and legal perspectives. 
• I also gained a clearer understanding of how resolutions—like anti-privatization or land acknowledgements—are introduced, debated, and ultimately woven into the union’s bylaws and future campaigns. 
• Overall, the event gave me the confidence to bring that knowledge back to our unit, helping us strengthen our understanding of union law and empowering our members. 

2. Learning from Other Locals’ Experiences 

Talking with delegates from education, healthcare, and municipal sectors revealed both the challenges and successes they’ve faced:

• Education locals, for example, shared their struggles around securing safety protocols and standardizing wages at the provincial bargaining table. 
• Various committees highlighted creative tools—like Motion Meetings—to improve communication and voting processes. These are ideas I’m excited to bring back and suggest for our own unit. 
• These conversations gave me practical insights into broader labour strategies and legislative frameworks affecting workers across the province. 

3. Supporting My Own Unit 

By attending and contributing—even quietly—I ensured our unit was represented: ● I supported resolutions that aligned with our concerns. 

• I backed motions from other locals that helped amplify our collective voice. 
• I built our presence by being visible, engaged, and active—strengthening our reputation within CUPE NS and CUPE National. 
• I also supported and campaigned for Christine Saulniere. Although she didn’t achieve the result we hoped for, we showed unity and put forward an impressive team effort—one I hope we can build on in the future. 

This experience helped reinforce that our unit is serious, active, and ready to collaborate in broader coalitions. 

4. The Power of Networking 

The convention was incredibly valuable for networking. 

• I met CUPE staff, regional VPs, and other local leaders—many of whom were pleasantly surprised and appreciative that our unit was represented. 
• I connected with over 15 peers from different sectors and joined ongoing initiatives like mailing lists and online forums.
• One of the most meaningful connections, though, was with people inside our own unit. I had the chance to spend time, talk, and share moments with members of 3912 I hadn’t really connected with before. 

Those internal and external connections were just as impactful and valuable to me. 

In conclusion, attending the CUPE NS 2025 Convention was a key experience for me—not just in representing our unit, but in gaining the knowledge, tools, and relationships that will support us well beyond the event. I observed, listened, learned, and supported initiatives that will strengthen workers across Nova Scotia. 

The convention renewed my commitment to growing our unit’s efforts, learning from others, and taking coordinated action—both locally and provincially—to protect and advance our members’ rights. This convention wasn’t just an event—it was an experience of growth, solidarity, and strategic preparation.

CUPE NS Convention 2025  Report –Delegate

Julie Quinn

May 25 – 28, 2025

Contents

I. Introduction 

• Why we were there; overview

II. Main Points

1. What did I learn/take home from the Convention?
   1. An appreciation for diversity
   2. Insight/knowledge about the struggles and victories of other locals
   3. The power that we have as a collective
2. How can what I learn benefit CUPE 3912?
   1. Sharing experience with other locals and promoting awareness of 3912
   2. Opportunity to contribute our voice in voting and speaking on resolutions and amendments
   3. Electing members to committees and important positions
3.  Would I and/or the Local benefit from attending the Convention next year?
   1. Continued presence and voice in CUPE NS
   2. Awareness of issues that we may not have known about before
   3. Opportunities for delegates to see what happens when all these locals band together (raise awareness of their concerns and ours)

III. Thanks and Acknowledgements

I. Introduction

From Sunday, May 25th, to Wednesday, May 28th, I had the privilege of being one of a 12-member team of delegates sent from CUPE 3912 to the CUPE NS 2025 Convention, held in Membertou, NS. Our chief goal as a delegation was to campaign on behalf of our excellent presidential candidate, Christine Saulnier. While Christine was, in my humble opinion, the superior candidate, ultimately the position went to Alan Linkletter (CUPE 8920). While we were all disappointed that Christine didn’t get elected, there were nevertheless many positive outcomes from our presence there. During our many conversations and interactions with other delegates, we had multiple opportunities to learn and expand our own knowledge while forging meaningful connections.  I am strongly convinced that our presence at the convention not only raised awareness of the struggles and contributions of our local specifically, but ultimately had a lasting impact on the tone of the conference as a whole.

In the following paragraphs, I will answer three main questions: 

• what did I learn/take home from my experience at the Convention?
• how can what I learn benefit CUPE 3912, and 
• would CUPE 3912 benefit from sending delegates to the next annual CUPE NS Convention (2026)?

II. Main Points

II.1 What did I learn/take home from the Convention? 

The first thing that impressed me was the sheer diversity of locals gathered under the “CUPE NS” collective. Indeed we had members in our own cohort representing the Early Childhood Educators of Nova Scotia (Local 4745), as well as members from the Adsum Association for Women and Children (Local  4291). My favorite part of campaigning was the opportunity to meet members from different locals and share with them our mutual struggles. For example, it was great to learn from Local 4745 members that they had just successfully negotiated for a pension plan to be added to their Collective Agreement. As another example, during the banquet on Monday evening, I sat with members from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality Outside Workers (Local 759). They shared how the local has been fighting to make sure that member services are not contracted out by the government to non-unionized workers, and how those members responsible for highway snow removal had just negotiated for the right to have some relief time (time off) even during extended snow events. The folks I talked to were interested in turn to hear about some of the issues our own local faces. This kind of sharing fosters understanding as well as a shared sense of purpose between locals.

As the Convention progressed, it was somewhat awe-inspiring to realize what we can do when we share our struggles and work together for justice for all workers. One highlight of the conference that I would like to mention here was the opportunity we were given on Tuesday to picket Sydney City Hall in support of the Home Care Workers (Local 4354), who have been working for four years to negotiate a fair and equitable bargaining contract.  One of the things that struck me during that afternoon was the support and awareness generated in passers-by, most of whom slowed down their cars to read the signs, and many of whom honked loudly to show their support. Hopefully the members of the government inside the City Hall noticed this too!

II.2. How can what I(we) learn(ed) benefit CUPE 3912?

As mentioned under the previous heading, it is always useful to realize that we are not alone in our fight for employment equity and justice.  We can rejoice in each other’s victories and support one another in our struggles. Our presence at the Convention also gave us the opportunity to raise awareness about our local and share some of the issues facing our members. In terms of sharing CUPE 3912’s accomplishments and struggles, many of the people I talked to were surprised to learn about the stark realities and challenges that we face as academic members (e.g., no job security, no benefits, no pension). The conversations and connections we forged as a delegation helped to dispel the myth that as an “academic or university-oriented” local, we come from a place of privilege (see the last sentence about “no job security, no benefits, no pension”…). This helps us to dismantle stereotypes and build solidarity with other locals.

The conduct of our members at the Convention allowed us to promote respect for our local and to establish our right to have a ‘seat at the table’. In fact, before the convention closed, we as a local were able to establish our presence at a few different tables! As recently shared by Sophie Boardman in her excellent June newsletter to the CUPE 3912 members, several of our delegates  were elected to the following Standing Committees:

• Erica Fischer, VP PT SMU, new member of the Political Action Committee
• Larissa Atkison, VP PT Dal, new member of the Education Committee
• Sophie J. Boardman, Communications Officer, young worker member of the Global Justice Committee

It is anticipated that these members will champion the goals and concerns of Local 3912 in these committees. Additionally, our own local president, Lauren McKenzie was elected as alternate regional Vice President!

We were also able to make our presence felt with our votes (and often our voices) on several constitutional amendments and timely resolutions that were dealt with during the Convention. Some of the important resolutions that passed during the Convention included:

• Proposals aimed at supporting basic human rights which included addressing the housing crisis, and protecting the rights of marginalised people (e.g., supporting the Centre for Migrant Worker’s Rights Nova Scotia).
• several related proposals aimed at addressing the very real problem of violence in the work place – in particular, viiolence experienced by workers and students in our grade schools. I will comment further on these resolutions in my final point discussing why I think it is important to continues to send CUPE 3912 members to participate in future CUPE NS conventions.

Importantly, our Local 3912 successfully proposed two resolutions: one involving CUPE NS members in actively contributing to the Justice for Workers Campaign, and a proposal “to commit financial and staff resources to raise public awareness of the value of CUPE Post-Secondary Education Workers in NS work and to support efforts to fight post-secondary education cuts and protect these members’ jobs”. I think you’ll agree that passing these resolutions directly benefits the Local!

II.3. Would I and/or the Local benefit from attending the Convention next year?

The short answer is yes – a thousand times yes! Most of the reasons I have already discussed in this short document. First of all, I hope that this and other delegate reports have demonstrated the relevance and urgent necessity of maintaining a continued presence and voice in the goals and work for employment justice being championed by CUPE NS. Secondly, I strongly believe that future delegates from our local would benefit greatly by having the opportunity to see what can happen when a diverse collective of small locals band together to support concerns that we all share. Finally (and this one is very personal for me), future delegates would benefit from the chance to talk and engage with members of other locals, so that they can learn our issues and we can gain an awareness of the success and struggles faced by our fellow workers (some of which we may not have known about before). Much of what I saw and heard from this conference has impacted me deeply. In particular, I will not soon forget the stories shared by classroom support staff and others about the frequency and intensity of violence they routinely experience in the workplace. As part-time faculty, I’ve had my fair share of financial hardships and lack of professional respect, but I have never been afraid for my personal safety in the classroom. Witnessing the accounts of other members has challenged my naivety and given me a renewed passion for justice and safety for all of us. Interestingly,  on the  morning of the day I finished writing this report, I was downtown and saw a bus drive by which sported a giant slogan that read: “Everyone has the right to feel safe at work.” I couldn’t agree more!

In conclusion, I believe that Christine Saulnier, in her letter of thanks sent to delegate members, summed up the advantages of our delegation to the CUPE NS Conference rather well:

While we didn’t win the vote, what we built together was absolutely a win.

We brought energy, ideas, and hope into this race. We showed what leadership rooted in listening, organizing, and action can look like. We sparked important conversations across CUPE Nova Scotia about where we’re headed and how we can grow stronger together. Many of you will now serve on committees, and we even elected the VP alternate for Central from CUPE 3912, who will continue these conversations. 

I am so proud to have connected with locals across the province to have engaged members who hadn’t been involved before. We ran a campaign rooted in values, vision, and respect. We stayed true to who we are and we showed what’s possible.

III. Thanks and Acknowledgements

First, I would like to thank our president, Lauren McKenzie, for spear-heading this convention campaign (you rock!), as well as the 3912 Executive for allowing me the opportunity to act as one of the delegates representing our local at this convention. 

I would also like to thank Christine Saulnier for your leadership and willingness to run for president. It was a privilege to contribute in some small way to your campaign. Christine, your passion, hard work and willingness to put yourself out there (to be vulnerable) have truly been an inspiration. 

Finally, I would like to thank my Car Sisters, Jackie Rodler and Margot Nickerson, for allowing me to be part of their travel team and actually saving my life when I experienced sugar lows (related to diabetes) on the trip down: your compassion, driving skills and supply of treats was deeply appreciated!