Web banner that says, "CBRM's cycle of training and losing staff must stop. It's unsafe and costly." Illustration of a cityscape in the background.

Cycle of training and losing staff must stop – Rally at CBRM city hall on Tuesday, November 8

Please join us on Tuesday, November 8 at 5 p.m., as municipal workers call on Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) city council and management to end the current cycle of training and losing staff by offering better compensation, which would help address staffing shortages and would save CBRM taxpayers money. Members of CUPE 933, who are currently in contract negotiations with the city, say that jailers,  communications operators, and other staff are frustrated by CBRM’s failure to recruit and retain workers in these high-pressure roles that are crucial for public safety. “Our members are committed to providing quality public services to CBRM residents, but they’re unable to maintain staffing levels. The cycle of training new staff and losing them to better paying employers is unsafe and costly,” says CUPE 933 Vice-president Cheryl MacDonald. TIME: Tuesday, November 8 at 5 p.m. LOCATION: City Hall, 320 Esplanade, Sydney (map) SPEAKERS: CUPE 933 Vice-president Cheryl MacDonald, … Read more…

Tina Varughese and CUPE NS Vice-president Dianne Frittenburg, standing on either side of a sign that says, "Keynote speaker sonsored by CUPE Nova Scotia".

Representing CUPE at the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities conference

From November 1 to 4, CUPE members are volunteering at the 2022 conference of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) taking place this week in Halifax. CUPE Nova Scotia has once again signed on as a premier sponsor of the annual event where we have an information booth, fact sheets in delegate kit bags, and a print ad in the conference guide. We also introduced keynote speaker Tina Varughese who spoke about inclusive leadership. The conference gives our members many opportunities to discuss issues with municipal councillors and managers that are important to our members. This year, our focus was on stopping privatization of health care and the Canada Infrastructure Bank. To learn more, please check out the fact sheets below, which were handed out at the NSFM conference. Fact sheets How municipalities can help build a better public health care system for Nova Scotia (PDF) Municipalities deserve a … Read more…

CUPE logo

Paladin Security workers vote to join CUPE

The Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board today certified the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) as the union for Paladin Security workers who work under contract for the Nova Scotia Health Authority. “Sixteen months of organizing efforts paid off for this group of 388 workers, despite the objections raised by the employer that were ultimately dismissed by the labour board,” says Govind Rao, a CUPE representative who is involved in the drive. “The members of CUPE Local 5479 voted nearly 90 per cent in favour of joining CUPE.” “This is a great day,” says Nan McFadgen, president of CUPE Nova Scotia. “Now we can get down to the important work of negotiating a first collective agreement that will truly make a positive change in the lives of our members.” CUPE is the second largest union in Nova Scotia, representing over 20,000 members who provide quality public services in long-term care, … Read more…