Web banner. Photo of woman outdoors wearing a safety vest and snow shovel. Text: CUPE 759 bargaining news.

CBRM municipal workers reach tentative agreement

Municipal workers with Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM), represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 759, reached a tentative agreement with their employer yesterday. “I’d like to thank our bargaining committee who worked hard on behalf of our members to reach this deal,” said Kevin Ivey, president of CUPE 759. “We are pleased to recommend this tentative agreement to members for acceptance.” Details of the contract will not be made available until it has been presented to CUPE 759 members, and both sides have ratified the agreement. The union’s bargaining committee will present the tentative collective agreement to the membership and a ratification vote will take place on Sunday, November 27, 2021. CUPE Local 759 represents approximately 300 members employed by CBRM who work in transit, public works, water and waste water management, parks and grounds maintenance, building and arena maintenance, as well as cleaning and janitorial … Read more…

Black and white image of a man in the driver's seat of a dump truck with CBRM written on the side. Text overlay: CUPE 759 municipal workers.

Municipal workers want Cape Breton Regional Municipality to stop playing games and negotiate a fair deal

CUPE 759, the union representing municipal workers employed by Cape Breton Regional Municipality, is calling on the city to stop playing games and get back to the table to negotiate a new collective agreement. “We’re waiting to hear if the employer will return to bargaining, but it seems like that might not happen,” said Kevin Ivey, president of CUPE 759, “and their tone at the bargaining table makes us question if they’re really committed to reaching a negotiated settlement with us.” “The employer needs to put all their energy into negotiations,” said Kathy MacLeod, CUPE national representative. “There’s only one way to get a deal done and that’s at the table.” “Our members are understandably frustrated by the way this round of bargaining is going. They just want a fair deal and a healthy, respectful workplace,” said Ivy. “We’ve heard from our members that management is trying to spread false … Read more…

CUPE brings pro-public message to provincial municipal meeting

CUPE Nova Scotia representatives talked up the value of public services and warned about the dangers of privatization at a recent provincial gathering of municipal leaders. CUPE NS hosted an exhibit at the virtual conference of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) and helped sponsor the event, which took place November 3 and 4. “Being at these events let us connect with municipal leaders on shared concerns and make sure workers’ voices and expertise are part of the conversation on issues affecting our cities and towns,” said CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen. Our delegation shared CUPE’s latest research about public-private partnerships (P3s), Asking the right questions: A guide for municipal officials considering P3s. This fully-updated second edition of our popular guide weighs all the evidence and concludes that P3 privatization still costs more and delivers less. The guide outlines 10 essential questions every municipal official should ask before … Read more…