Posts published in December 2025

CUPE recently hosted two community events – one at the Friendship Centre in Buffalo Narrows and one at the Friendship Centre in La Loche. These come-and-go community events drew in approximately 75 local residents for an evening of fun, food, and connection. Attendees enjoyed games, hot dogs, and the chance to win CUPE prizes.

“It was a great event, with so many people coming together,” said Wanda Gibson, CUPE 5430 member and member ambassador for the Saskatchewan Northern and Indigenous Pilot Project. “Children had a great time, and the sense of community was inspiring.”

CUPE was welcomed with warmth and hospitality as local residents shared stories about life in northern Saskatchewan, highlighting the value of building strong, lasting relationships with communities across the province.

Utility Operators with the City of Winkler have voted to join CUPE following a successful card-signing campaign under Manitoba Government’s card check legislation.  

CUPE already represents a wide range of municipal workers across Southern Manitoba, including workers at the City of Morden.

“We want to welcome these new members to CUPE,” said Gina McKay, president of CUPE Manitoba. “I know we are stronger together as workers and CUPE members, and look forward to working together to improve working conditions for all workers in Manitoba.”

With these new members, CUPE continues to strengthen its presence in the municipal sector, representing more than 5,000 municipal workers across the province.

“We welcome these workers into our municipal sector,” said Lee McLeod, Manitoba Regional Director for CUPE. “Together we can achieve better wages and fairer working conditions.”

CUPE Saskatchewan is supporting new legislation to protect workers’ rights and wages. If passed, Bill 611 would ensure the use of the notwithstanding clause would be automatically tested to determine whether the law violates charter rights.

The bill follows Alberta’s decision to invoke the clause to end a teachers’ strike and force 51,000 teachers back to work – an unprecedented move that overrode their right to negotiate a fair contract.

CUPE Saskatchewan President Kent Peterson says workers in this province deserve the same protections.

“Provincial premiers should not be using the notwithstanding clause for partisan purposes to override workers’ rights,” said Peterson. “Scott Moe has said he’d be willing to do the same thing as Alberta, and that should concern every worker in Saskatchewan.”

Bill 611 – The Constitutional Questions (Notwithstanding Clause Referral) Amendment Act would allow courts to comment on whether invoking the notwithstanding clause is justified, adding transparency and protecting workers from unilateral government actions. The Manitoba government introduced similar legislation this fall, calling it a needed safeguard.

“This is about one thing – protecting workers and their wages,” concluded Peterson.

Long-term care workers in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, from Seaview Manor Home for Special Care, represented by CUPE 2094, voted 96% in favour of a strike mandate last week, joining the 18 other CUPE long-term care locals who’ve taken similar strike votes in the past month.

“We’re frustrated with this round of bargaining,” admitted CUPE 2094 President Allen Keeping. “We all heard Houston’s promises on the campaign trail, how he swore to fix health care and make life better for Nova Scotians, and yet his government offered us next to nothing. It’s like they think senior care doesn’t matter, that we don’t matter.”

The union filed for conciliation at the end of November after bargaining talks with representatives of the Houston government stalled.

“These workers care for our elderly. They give them a home when they can no longer stay in their own, a friend when they need someone to talk to, family when life gets a little too busy and visits grow infrequent. They are vital to our health care system, to our province, yet this government offered them little,” said CUPE Long-Term Care Coordinator Tammy Martin. “The message is clear: Houston doesn’t care about senior care.”

CUPE long term care workers in the Sydney area will be gathering outside the Mayflower Mall on December 5^th from 2 PM to 4 PM for an information picket to raise further awareness about their bargaining issues.

During a general membership meeting, outside and inside workers at Ville de La Malbaie voted 98% in favour of a tentative agreement renewing their employment contract for six years.

“We are very happy with this agreement,” said Stéphane Lavoie-Maltais, CUPE 4813 President. “It effectively balances the members’ needs and expectations with the municipality’s operational realities. While some of the discussions were delicate and difficult at times, dialogue was always open, respectful and constructive. Both parties were serious and came to the table in good faith to reach a result that would improve conditions for our members while meeting the city’s structural challenges.”

The workers will benefit from wage increases of 6% in 2025, 3% in 2026 and 2027 and 2.5% for the last three years. Other gains include stricter management of subcontracting work, improved overall working conditions for seasonal employees, and bonuses.

“The union also improved union leave management,” added CUPE representative Sébastien Campana. “The executive board will now have more flexibility and freedom to act.”

CUPE 4813 represents 42 permanent workers, with a summer workforce of up to 120, demonstrating the strategic importance of operations at the vacation destination during this season.