Posts published in April 2026

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is inviting qualified and motivated individuals to apply for the bilingual position of Senior Construction Project Manager to work in the Administration Branch of the Finance and Administration Department, located at its National Office in Ottawa, Ontario. All candidates must apply through CUPE’s website and include a cover letter and résumé to be considered.

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GENERAL FUNCTION

The Senior Project Manager is responsible for the strategic planning, governance, and delivery of a diverse portfolio of construction and capital projects across Canada. This includes leasehold improvement projects, asset development, major renovations, and capital investment initiatives within a portfolio of approximately 70 owned and leased properties.

This role provides leadership to project management professionals and external consultants and ensures projects are delivered on time, within scope and budget, and in compliance with applicable regulations and organizational standards. The Senior Project Manager plays a key role in advancing organizational objectives through effective project planning and implementation, risk management, and stakeholder collaboration.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Under the direction of the Director of Property Management, the successful applicant will be required to perform some or all of the following functions:

• Lead the planning and execution of construction and capital projects, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, long-term asset strategies, and approved budgets.
• Develop and maintain project governance frameworks, policies, standards, and best practices consistent with unionized environments.
• Provide expert advice to senior leadership on project feasibility, risk, cost, and scheduling implications. 
• Contribute to multi-year capital planning and forecasting for owned and leased assets
• Oversee the full project lifecycle, from concept development and business case preparation through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and close-out.
• Manage complex, multi-site projects including leasehold improvements, major renovations, asset development, and capital reinvestment initiatives.
• Ensure projects meet quality, safety, sustainability, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor project performance and implement corrective actions when required to address cost, schedule, or scope of work challenges.
• Develop and manage project budgets, ensure cost control, manage cash flows, and provide regular financial reporting.
• Oversee procurement strategies and contract administration for consultants, contractors, and vendors.
• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, contractual obligations, and applicable legislation.
• Review and approve change orders, progress claims, and project close-out documentation.
• Act as the primary liaison with internal stakeholders, external consultants, contractors, landlords, and regulatory authorities.
• Collaborate with the property management team, the Finance and Administration Department, and the operations team to ensure coordinated project delivery.
• Provide regular status updates, reports, and briefings to the Director of Property Management and senior leadership and governance bodies. 
• Foster a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative work environment consistent with CUPE values and organizational policies.

QUALIFICATIONS

• University degree in engineering, architecture, construction management, project management, or related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in the construction of commercial and office facilities, including leadership of complex, large-scale projects.
• Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, in both English and French.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects in a unionized environment is considered a strong asset.
• Experience overseeing projects within a national, multi-site real estate portfolio is considered a strong asset.
• Professional certification such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), Responsible, Accountable, Informed, and Consulted (RAIC), or equivalent is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of construction methodologies and building systems.
• Intimate knowledge of the National Building Code, and all applicable codes and regulations, including applicable construction site safety regulations.
• Proven ability to manage multiple, concurrent projects with competing priorities.
• Excellent financial acumen, including budgeting, cost control, and capital forecasting.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel periodically across Canada.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT as set out in the collective agreement between CUPE and the CSU National Office Component.

WEEKLY SALARY RANGE: $2,766.73 to $2,799.69 (plus 7% bilingual bonus)

CUPE offers a generous employee benefits package: a defined benefit pension plan and group insurance including extended health and dental care, vision, hospital, prescription drugs, professional services, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), etc.

Persons interested should click APPLY TO WORK FOR US, select National Office and Property Management, follow all required steps, and submit a cover letter and resumé no later than May 18, 2026. Please mention Senior Construction Project Manager in the subject line.

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CUPE is committed to fostering a representative workplace and a culture grounded in respect, diversity and inclusiveness at all levels of our organization to ensure that our workforce reflects the diverse CUPE membership and the diverse communities in which we live and serve. CUPE encourages applications from qualified members of equity-deserving groups, including women, Black and racialized people, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ people. We will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates on any protected human rights grounds at any stage of the selection or recruitment process. Please inform us if you require accommodations by contacting us at hr [at] cupe.ca. (All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. However, CUPE members and existing CUPE staff will be given priority).

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Flight attendants at WestJet, represented by CUPE 8125, have issued a formal notice of dispute following more than seven months of ongoing negotiations that have not produced sufficient progress on key issues.

CUPE 8125 represents approximately 4,400 cabin personnel at WestJet mainline. Since serving notice to bargain last September, the union and WestJet have met multiple times each month in an effort to reach a new collective agreement.

At the centre of the dispute is a growing gap between the work flight attendants are required to perform and the outdated system that determines how that work is compensated. Flight attendants are responsible for passenger safety from the moment they report for duty, yet significant portions of that time are not fully compensated under the current system. On average, flight attendants work 35 hours every month unpaid.

“Flight attendants are performing increasingly demanding work in a safety-sensitive environment, and we are some of the lowest paid in Canada”, said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE 8125. “The system that governs our compensation was built for a different time, and it no longer reflects the value of work being done today.”

The union is also seeking improvements to scheduling and basic working conditions that support a safe and sustainable operation.

“Flight attendants have remained patient and professional throughout this process, but delays cannot continue,” Hussain added. “We are looking for meaningful progress at the table on issues that affect our members and their ability to provide reliable service for our guests.”

CUPE 8125 emphasized that its goal is to achieve a negotiated agreement and minimize any impact on travellers.

“We understand how important travel is, particularly as we approach the busy summer season,” said Hussain. “Our focus is on securing a fair and sustainable agreement that reflects the realities of the job and the value of the work being done every day.”

The union is calling on WestJet to engage meaningfully at the bargaining table to address these concerns.

Scott Moe’s child care cuts break the promise of $10-a-day child care and will cost families and workers more.

Restricting tuition free training to Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Level I will make staffing shortages worse, puts centres at risk of failing certification requirements of ECE II and ECE III staffing levels, and limit career advancement opportunities.

Despite already falling short of its child care space targets, as documented by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Sask. Party has chosen to freeze the creation of new spaces.

Instead of providing real funding, Moe is introducing extended hours fees. By redefining what counts as ‘core’ child care services, this government is backing away from $10-a-day child care and forcing operators to pass new costs onto parents. For a system already on life support, this could mean hundreds of dollars more each month for families.

Affordable child care should not come with an asterisk. Saskatchewan families need real investment, not backdoor fees.

Nova Scotia’s early childhood educators are calling on the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, Brendan Maguire, to immediately confirm that the provincial government will provide the full funding needed for retroactive wage increases—so that educators receive the full pay they are owed.

CUPE 4745 President Tabitha Warren says the province is now proposing a new approach that could leave educators short on wages they have already earned.

“Early childhood educators showed up every day and did the work. Retroactive pay must reflect the hours they have been paid—not a partial calculation that leaves workers behind,” said Warren.

“Government has had since November to get this right,” said Jennifer Chase, President of CUPE 3688 in Bridgewater. “Now, just as educators should finally be getting paid, the rules are shifting—and workers are being asked to absorb the loss.”

“This isn’t just about the amount—it’s about the delay. Educators have been waiting for months, and government still hasn’t provided a clear path to get money into their hands,” said Chase.

Educators are now calling on Minister Maguire to publicly confirm:

• That the province will provide the full funding needed to deliver retroactive wages to childcare centres;
• That retroactive pay will be based on the actual hours educators have been paid;
• And that clear direction will be issued immediately so that payments can begin without further delay.

Educators say they are prepared to escalate if answers are not provided.

“We’ve been patient. That patience is running out,” said Warren. “You don’t get to change the rules at the last minute and call that fair. The question is simple: will the government ensure educators are paid what they are owed, or not?”

Over 100 workers at the Lunenburg Home for Special Care have served their 48-hour notice to strike. Represented by CUPE 4919, these workers can hit the picket line as early as Saturday, April 25. CUPE 4919 will be the 30^th local taking job action amid a province-wide strike in the long-term care sector. 

“We are ready to go back to the table, and we have made that clear since day one of this strike,” said Christa Sweeney, CUPE Long-term and Community Care Committee Chair. “As soon as the province is willing to resume bargaining, we’ll resume bargaining. Until then, our momentum is only growing.” 

Following an impasse at the bargaining table on March 24, over twenty locals have taken job action, with more following throughout the past two weeks.  

CUPE 4919 is the fifth group this week. Locals 5183, 5165, 2503, and 2765, at Grand View Manor, Magnolia Continuing Care Centre, Shiretown and Ivey’s Terrace Nursing Homes, and Maple Hill Manor, respectively, started job action just yesterday (April 23).  

“We are now 3,000-strong, with picket lines all over Nova Scotia. From hot meals and coffees being dropped off, to supportive messages online, the public support has been amazing. We are united, we are supported, and we are prepared to fight for what we know we deserve—what our communities deserve.”