GET THE FACTS ABOUT NSUPE
Local 108-Unit Three members are being approached by another union to consider changing bargaining agents. Here’s what you need to know about NSUPE:
· NSUPE is not a sanctioned union within the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the house of labour. They have chosen not to be in the CLC so they could raid other unions.
· Because they are not in the CLC, NSUPE does not have to play by the rules that govern all of the other major unions in Canada.
· CUPE is not the first union NSUPE has tried to raid. They have a track record of trying to steal other union’s members, rather than going out and organizing non-union members.
RECENT NSUPE STRIKES HAVE BEEN FAILURES
Two recent strikes by NSUPE members here in HRM can only be described as failures. Their school board unit strike in 2001 was an unmitigated failure.
NSUPE lost on all its major issues, and blew any public support that they should have had when they decided to “occupy schools”. Not only did this tactic backfire, it illustrates the kind of thinking that emanates from the leadership of NSUPE.
An April, 2005 strike by NSUPE members at Canadian Blood Services also proved to be unsuccessful. The union was unable to achieve its bargaining objectives. Strikers spent three months on the picket line, lost thousands of dollars in income and received no strike pay.
FORGET ABOUT STRIKE PAY
If you were ever to go on strike with NSUPE, there would be NO STRIKE PAY. NSUPE members have to ask their union for ‘loans’ and only receive them if they meet certain ‘criteria’.
As a CUPE member, you receive $200 a week strike pay and your benefits are paid for by your national union. As the biggest union in the country, CUPE’s strike fund currently sits at $30 million.
Thinking about NSUPE? As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for!
A comprehensive package will be arriving at the local next week, comparing several key articles in the eight CUPE school board contracts across the province. This was information that we asked the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions (NSSBCU) to provide us with, and will be followed by a benefits comparison.
We will also be sending out ‘violence in the workplace’ information for EPA’s and Student Support Workers.
The NSSBCU continues to meet with the Nova Scotia School Boards Association (NSSBA), and the Working Committee (CUPE and Government) is working out how provincial bargaining will take place. Unit Three still has an opportunity to help establish itself in the process.
At our recent Special Meeting, we heard from Robert Chisholm, Acting Atlantic Regional Director, and Ken Hopper from CUPE National. Participation in provincial bargaining was debated.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the framework agreement signed between CUPE and the government:
Does it require salaried employees to become hourly employees?
No it does not. A senior Department of Education official has stated that the present terms and conditions would remain. The commitment on salary would be in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the end of the agreement.
What about our pensions?
The NSSBCU also have an agreement that pension plans based on salary will be protected. This will also be in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding.
Will our wages be frozen?
Your wages will not be frozen. There will only be Green Circling, which means you will continue to get general economic increases annually, that is, the percentage increase that is typically applied across all wage classifications when a collective agreement is negotiated.
HRM has hinted that supplemental funding for HRSB will be reduced over time. One way or the other, we need to secure this money from the province.
We are not being forced into provincial bargaining. Rather, we are being encouraged. Members must make a decision soon, however, as we have to serve notice to bargain within the next few weeks.
Local 108.3 will remain Local 108.3. The NSSBCU will bargain provincial issues only and these issues are yet to be determined but often include items such as pension increase, improvements to the funding formula for medical benefits, wages, and any other common issue determined by the Council.
Local issues would be negotiated separately. Our local autonomy will remain intact.