Iris Lloyd elected President of CUPE New Brunswick

Fredericton, April 14, 2025 – The Canadian Union of Public Employees in New Brunswick (CUPE NB) wrapped up its 62nd Annual Convention this weekend. The event brought together nearly 300 delegates and guests from across the province to discuss key issues impacting CUPE NB’s 27,000 members.

One of the highlights of the convention was the election of Iris Lloyd as the new President of CUPE NB. Lloyd succeeds Stephen Drost, who completed two consecutive two-year terms and chose not to reoffer.

“I wish to recognize the work of Stephen, for his leadership, especially during the historic 2021 strike. His determination and ability to represent our members helped deliver real gains for workers across New Brunswick,” said Iris Lloyd.

About Iris Lloyd

Iris Lloyd lives in Saint John, NB. She has worked as a school custodian in the Anglophone South School District since 2007. For the past six years, she served as President of CUPE Local 1253. (CUPE 1253 represents approximately 2,500 members in NB school districts, from bus drivers, tradespeople, maintenance workers, and custodians).

“I’m proud to represent frontline workers who keep our communities running,” said Lloyd.

“In the face of crises like the U.S. trade war and its impact on New Brunswick, CUPE NB won’t sit on the sidelines – we’ll work with the government when it serves the people, but we’ll never back down from putting workers first. We will be relentless in pushing back against privatization, strengthening and improving our public services, and building a just, sustainable New Brunswick that works for everyone – not just the wealthy few.”

New Brunswick Education and Nursing Home Workers Welcome Repeal of Higgs’ Era Pension Bill

With the repeal of the “Pension Sustainability and Transfer Act” being tabled earlier today, a key piece of the 2023 legislation from the Higgs government, that violated Charter rights to override freely negotiated collective agreements to attack the pensions of New Brunswick education and nursing home workers may be undone.

“Our members work hard every day to help the schools in this province run, to have the past government step all over their freely negotiated pensions was a slap in the face,” said Iris Lloyd, president of CUPE 1253, which represents custodians, bus drivers and maintenance workers of NB School Districts. “Getting rid of Higgs’ bill and returning to a fairly negotiated process for our pensions is the first step to rebuilding trust between workers and the provincial government.”

The bill impacted the pensions of education workers represented by CUPE 2745 and 1253 as well as nursing home workers represented by CUPE’s New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions, NBCNHU, overriding their modest freely negotiated pensions and forcing these workers into Higgs’ preferred “Shared Risk” model.

“All workers deserve a decent and secure pension for the hard work they put in in their careers,” said Theresa McAllister, president of CUPE 2745, which represents the province’s educational support staff. “The fact that the Conservatives broke contracts that they negotiated themselves in order to attack the pensions of hard working New Brunswickers, shows why we should never trust them to run this province again.”

In addition to breaking freely negotiated contracts with workers, the legislation tossed out the very pension negotiation process that the government had pushed for as a condition to ending the province-wide strike of 2021. Instead of seeing their own process through, the government simply imposed its own preferred pension model. Nursing home workers, who were not even part of the 2021 strike, were included in this legislation.

“It’s time to start repairing all of the damage the Higgs government caused to public services in New Brunswick,” said Sharon Teare, president of the NBCNHU. “We look forward to build a New Brunswick the provides quality services, good jobs and retirement with dignity for all workers.”

Upon its passing, Bill 17 was immediately challenged by CUPE, first in the legislature, through a demonstration by hundreds of workers which resulted in Teare, CUPE NB President Steven Drost and CUPE Regional Director Sandy Harding being banned from the provincial legislature, and then through a Charter challenge launched by CUPE in February of 2024. Following the election of Susan Holt and the Liberals in 2024 the three CUPE leaders been allowed to return.

Should the legislation be repealed, the future of the pensions for these workers is still undetermined. Whatever happens moving forward, CUPE Maritimes Regional Director Sandy Harding says that pension deals should be worked out between the union and the government just as they always have,: through free and fair collective bargaining. “The whole reason we are in this mess is that Higgs intentionally underfunded these pension plans and then tried to use legislation to override the free collective bargaining process,” Harding says. “We are happy to sit down with a government that respects Charter rights, the law and its own signed contracts, and find a deal that works for New Brunswickers and the workers of this province.”

📢 CUPE NB Statement on International Women’s Day 📢

On March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day, a day to recognize women’s achievements and renew our commitment to gender equality.

For CUPE NB, this means fighting for pay equity, better wages, and strong public services – Because economic justice is fundamental to gender justice. Women, especially in care, and service sectors, continue to face systemic wage discrimination. It’s time for action!

That’s why CUPE NB is proud to support the NB Coalition for Pay Equity and the Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick in their call for feminist economic policies.

Join us for the International Women’s Day march!
Meet at: Avenir Centre, Moncton – 12 p.m.
Ending at: Aberdeen Cultural Centre – 1 p.m., with snacks & networking
Bring your banners and show your support!

This is our best chance in decades to secure pay equity legislation for the private sector. The provincial government has promised action – now we must hold them to it!

A strong and united front line will make all the difference.

Healthcare workers reach tentative agreement

The CUPE 1252 bargaining team is proud to inform its members that a tentative agreement was reached between Local 1252 and the employer (Vitalité and Horizon Health Networks, and Ambulance NB).

If ratified by the members, the new contract will cover the four years from late June 2024 to June 2028.

Members should expect to receive information from their local leadership on the content of the agreement, so they can cast an informed vote on whether to accept or reject the agreement. Your local leadership will keep you updated on the dates, times, and locations for the information presentations and voting.

95% of CUPE 1190 Members Vote in Favour of New Contract

The members of CUPE 1190 – the general labour and trades workers in New Brunswick – voted in favour of their new collective agreement by 95%.

Contract votes were conducted on February 18, in over 15 locations across New Brunswick. A total of 1246 members participated in the vote.

“We had been bargaining for over two years, and we were not moving with the previous government,” said Jonathan Guimond, president of CUPE 1190 and himself a heavy equipment operator for 20 years. “After our August 2024 strike vote, we got back to the table in January with the new government, and they took workers’ demands seriously,” added Guimond.

The new four-year contract contains a $5 flat rate general economic wage adjustment over those 4 years for all members. Many monetary gains on benefits/premiums were made, many of which had not been improved in over 20 years. This includes items such as boot and tool allowances, and improvements to vacation entitlement for all members, including casuals.

“Our team feels we secured a fair deal that will help improve retention and recruitment and recognizes the cost-of-living pressures our members are dealing with,” said Guimond.

“We are proud that this deal improves wages above inflation, contains no concessions, and improves worker recognition,” concluded Guimond.

CUPE Skilled Trades Summit Wraps Up with Strong Calls for Action

February 3, 2025, Fredericton, NB – CUPE’s Skilled Trades Summit concluded this Sunday afternoon after a weekend of discussions and planning among tradespeople in the public sector. Over 140 mechanics, carpenters, electricians, welders, millwrights, heavy equipment operators, and other skilled workers gathered to address pressing issues in their fields and strategize on improving working conditions.

CUPE National President Mark Hancock spoke to attendees on Friday evening, emphasizing the vital—but often overlooked—role that public sector tradespeople play in keeping our communities running. On Saturday, CUPE was honoured to welcome New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt as a guest speaker. In her address to workers, she spoke about getting rid of Bill 17, which unjustly stifled free collective bargaining and the importance of positive collaboration between labour and government. She also highlighted how she wants to see her government take more steps to improve labour relations in New Brunswick.

“In a time of uncertainty, with U.S. tariffs now imposed across Canada, it is more important than ever for government representatives to engage directly with frontline workers,” said Mark Hancock. “We’re pleased to see Premier Holt take the time to meet with workers and reaffirm her commitment to being part of the solution—working together to build a better New Brunswick for all.”

Following Premier Holt’s address, she met with CUPE leaders, including Mark Hancock, CUPE New Brunswick President Stephen Drost, and CUPE Maritimes Regional Director Sandy Harding, for a productive discussion about the challenges facing skilled trades workers. That very same morning, the Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs and Acting Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Jean-Claude D’Amours, also addressed attendees.

The CUPE Skilled Trades Summit highlighted the need for fair wages and improved working conditions for public sector tradespeople. “Skilled trades workers play a major role in New Brunswick and the backbone of our public services. For many years, their voices went unheard by previous governments. That’s why I am calling on all tradespeople to step up and get involved in their respective local. By working together, we can make a real difference. We can lead the charge for fairness and respect, bring new apprentices in, and retain our amazing, experienced workers.” concluded Drost.

Bargaining update from CUPE 1190 – Jan 24

Will this new government keep the old habits of the former one? We hope not. Solidarity with 1190 members. We hope for a fair deal soon.
We invite you to call your local MLA. Let them know this province runs because of working people, and that includes those delivering the public services we all rely on!

Skilled Trades Summit in NB – Sommet des métiers spécialisés au N.-B.

Join us in person on January 31, 2025, to connect, learn, and discuss key issues impacting the trades sector in New Brunswick. This summit is for CUPE tradespeople working in New Brunswick.
Register today: https://lu.ma/fiawk1ql

Download the event agenda: Agenda – Trades Workers Summit / Agenda du sommet des métiers

Joignez-vous à nous en personne le 31 janvier 2025 pour établir des liens, apprendre et discuter des questions clés qui ont une incidence sur le secteur des métiers au Nouveau-Brunswick. Ce sommet s’adresse aux gens de métier du SCFP qui travaillent au Nouveau-Brunswick.
Inscrivez-vous dès aujourd’hui : https://lu.ma/fiawk1ql