Canadian Union of Public Employees - New Brunswick Division
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| Full name | Canadian Union of Public Employees - New Brunswick Division |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1964 |
| Members | 27,000 (2022) |
| Affiliation | Canadian Labour Congress |
| Website | http://www.nb.cupe.ca |
The Canadian Union of Public Employees - New Brunswick (CUPE NB) is a provincial body of CUPE. In this province, the union represents approximately 27,000 members, with locals representing mainly provincial public sector workers such as health care, education, municipalities, universities, social services, transportation, tourism, general labour and trades, and provincial liquor stores.[1] In New Brunswick, nonprofit and private sector workplaces are also unionized with CUPE, such as the long-term care and the community care sector.
Overview[edit]
CUPE NB advocates for political, social, and economic legislation such as higher minimum wage workers[2], pensions for workers[3], social housing, affordable childcare, better senior care[4], social welfare programs and expanded public services, a green energy transition, anti-scab legislation, and health and safety protections. CUPE NB is opposed to public-private partnerships [5][6] and advocating for above-inflation wage adjustments for front-line workers.[7]
CUPE NB is affiliated with the New Brunswick Federation of Labour and has endorsed the New Democratic Party in federal and provincial elections.[8][9][10]
Foundation[edit]
CUPE was the result of a merger between NUPE (The National Union of Public Employees) and NUPSE (The National Union of Public Service Employees) in September 1963. As NUPE already had a New Brunswick division since December 1959, the NB Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees came to being after the national merger. CUPE NB held its founding convention in August 1964 in Edmundston, NB. CUPE's first National President, Stan Little, was the guest speaker and presented the Division with its Charter.[11]
The convention members elected the following executive: George Evans, President; A.P. Leblanc, Secretary-Treasurer; Walter A. Phair, Fredericton; Thomas Ouellette, Edmundston; Laura McLellan, Moncton; and Emilia Poirier Nugent, Dalhousie.
CUPE NB Presidents[edit]
- George Evans (1964-1966) - Founding President, member of Local 380, School Board Employees - District 20, Saint John
- Phil Booker (1966-1971)
- Adrien Charette (1971-1974)
- Lorne Saunders (1974-1977)
- Harrison Harvey (1977-1982)
- Donald Robichaud (1982-1984)
- Bill Thurber (1984-1986)
- Jacques Sirois (1986-1991)
- Bob Hickes (1992-1996)
- Susan Barton (1966-2002)
- David Rouse (2002-2005)
- Daniel Légère (2005-2019)[12]
- Brien Watson (2019-2021)[13]
- Stephen Drost (2021-Present)[14]
Major CUPE Strikes in New Brunswick[edit]
- 1992 Strike - In 1992, the provincial government led by Frank McKenna announced it would break signed collective agreements with the public sector, in order to impose an austerity agenda that included cutting benefits and imposing lower than negotiated wage adjustments on workers. That spring, CUPE locals, representing close to 20 000 provincial workers, held a province-wide illegal strike, in order to have signed agreements honoured. Workers protected their collective agreements after mediated talks between CUPE locals and the government resolved the situation.[15]
- 2021 General Strike - Ten provincial CUPE Locals went on a legal strike in October 2021, as Premier Blaine Higgs refused to negotiate wages adjustment that went above annual cost-of-living increases.[16] CUPE was the only union that directly challenged Higgs' 4-year wage restriction mandate (Composed of a one-year wage freeze, followed by annual increases of 1% for the next 3 years). After 15 days on the picket lines, workers obtained a 15% to 17% wage increase for a 5-year contract. [17]
References[edit]
- ↑ "New Brunswick public sector workers set to strike after contract talks abruptly end". CTV News. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "CUPE NB Announces a Plan for all New Brunswickers, Calls on Government to Invest in People". Financial Post. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "N.B. government behind financial problems of CUPE pensions, ruling suggests". CBC News. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "CUPE's Sharon Teare: value our elders by respecting the people who care for them". NB Media Co-op. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "New Brunswick privatizes management of extramural nursing and Tele-Care". CBC News.
- ↑ "Group protests P3 schools in N.B." Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "'Enough is enough'; CUPE N.B. members prepare for strike votes this week". CTV News. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "Why CUPE supports the NDP". Canadian Union of Public Employees. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
- ↑ "NDP Bring Pro-Labour Message To SJ". CHSJ Country 94.1.
- ↑ Frank, David (2013). Provincial Solidarities: A History of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour. Edmonton: Athabasca University Press. ISBN 978-1-927356-23-4.
- ↑ Vinh-Doyle, William. "Standing up, fighting back: fostering collective action in CUPE New Brunswick, 1963-1993". University of New Brunswick - PhD Thesis. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "CUPE NB: Daniel Légère re-elected President". CUPE NB. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "Brien Watson Elected CUPE NB President". Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ "Steve Drost Elected President of CUPE NB". CUPE NB. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- ↑ https://nbmediacoop.org/2021/05/14/june-1992-general-strike-in-new-brunswick/
- ↑ https://globalnews.ca/news/8334784/schools-closed-to-students-in-n-b-as-cupe-begins-strike-action/
- ↑ https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/tentative-agreements-reached-with-striking-n-b-cupe-members-strikes-end-1.5665366
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