Photo of outdoor sign that says, "Breton Ability Centre".

Workers at Breton Ability Centre call out Department of Community Services on safety issues – Info picket Tuesday, Nov. 15

An information picket will be held Tuesday, November 15, at 7:30 a.m. at the Breton Ability Centre in Sydney River. Frontline workers, members of CUPE Local 3513, are calling out the Department of Community Services for failing to address the increasing workplace violence that workers are facing at the residential facility. “The problem is that the department has a vision of getting people out of institutional living and in the community-based settings – which is a good thing,” says CUPE 3513 President Karen McMullen, “but when you move people out of the institutional settings and into community, the changing nature of the work requires more staffing and greater resources to keep workers safe.” “Our members feel that they are increasingly restricted in the tools and protections needed to ensure workplace safety and the Department of Community Services is not taking the matter seriously,” says Kathy MacLeod, CUPE National representative. “The … Read more…

CUPE 3912 flag outside a brick building at Dalhousie University

New contract ratified by part-time academics, teaching assistants, markers and demonstrators at Dalhousie University

Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3912 at Dalhousie University (Dal) have voted 77% in favour of their new four-year collective agreement. More than 1,600 votes were cast over a two-day period, ending on November 11, 2022. CUPE 3912 President Cameron Ells says, “Our members are receiving significant wage increases and contract improvements that will make a real, positive change in their lives.”  The deal includes: A course contract wage increase of 23 per cent over four years for new part-time academic instructors An hourly pay rate increase of 23 per cent over four years for all teaching assistants An hourly pay rate increase of 44 per cent over four years for both markers and demonstrators Full payment to members for their fall 2022 contracts with the employer The term of the collective agreement is from September 1, 2020, to August 31, 2024. “Our members brought … Read more…

Group of CUPE 3912 members outdoors, holding picket signs in front of a building at Dalhousie University

Tentative agreement reached at Dalhousie University for teaching assistants, part-time academics, markers, and demonstrators

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and Dalhousie University (Dal) have reached a tentative agreement. CUPE 3912, representing approximately 1,500 members that work as teaching assistants, part-time academics, markers, demonstrators, and clinical markers, reached the deal today. Details of the contract will not be made available until it has been presented to CUPE 3912 members and a ratification vote takes place. The members will be asked to vote on the tentative agreement later this week. “I’d like to thank the bargaining committee who worked hard on behalf of our members. It’s been a long and difficult journey to achieve this deal,” said Cameron Ells, CUPE 3912 president, “and we couldn’t have done it without the solidarity and dedication shown by our membership.”