Group of people having a video conference

Looking for CUPE member facilitators – Apply today!

Are you interested in union education and building up our union? Maybe you have experience on your local executive or as a steward? Are you on one of your local’s committees or you’re an activist? Are you comfortable speaking in front of groups or working on-line? Savvy with social media? Are you racialized, Black, Indigenous, differently abled, LGBTQ2+? Have you been a participant in a CUPE workshop? Are you a supporter of the union and what we stand for and how we work? Do you have time in your schedule to facilitate a workshop a few times a year? Are you open to learning new things and new ways of doing things? CUPE’s Union Education Branch depends on member facilitators to deliver workshops on a wide range of topics. We recruit members from around the province and from all CUPE’s sectors to play this important role. While this is not a … Read more…

Web banner. Image Teacher talking to young student at his desk. Both are wearing face masks. CUPE NS logo.

Early childhood educators expect more details today from Province regarding plans for child care

CUPE has heard the concerns from early childhood educators who work in child care centres throughout Nova Scotia and have taken those concerns to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Yesterday, Premier Rankin and Dr. Strang announced a provincewide shutdown, but said child care centres are “essential” and would remain open and child care would be made available to essential workers. Early childhood educators are concerned about the lack of details that were missing from the announcement regarding the health and safety of staff and children in centres. “We’ve heard from many early childhood educators who work in centres and they are concerned about safety protocols, ratio limits, mixing of cohorts, wage security, and the viability of centres,” says Margot Nickerson, president of CUPE 4745, representing ECEs working in child care centres in the Halifax Regional Municipality. “After our discussions with the Department this morning concerning the issues … Read more…

Photo: Child care worker and two children wearing masks. CUPE NS logo.

Early childhood educators calling on Rankin government for greater protections to stay safe at work

Early childhood educators are calling on the Rankin government to make their health and safety at work a top priority during the circuit breaker and school closures currently happening in Halifax, Nova Scotia. If child care centres remain open during the current circuit breaker, additional preventative measures need be taken to reduce the risk for staff and for the children. “With the number of active COVID-19 cases on the rise, early childhood educators believe the Province has not done enough to prevent exposure in child care centres,” says CUPE Nova Scotia President Nan McFadgen. “If Public Health does not recommend closing child care centres, like they did with schools, then we need the Premier and the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development to ensure that the current cohort of children attending centres now does not increase,” says CUPE 4745 President Margot Nickerson. “There is too much risk involved that … Read more…