You are invited to a membership meet and greet with our National President Mark Hancock and the leaders of the CUPE New Brunswick Executive.
When: August 14, 2023 | 3 PM to 6 PM
Where: MONCTON – CENTENNIAL PARK
This event is for members, activists, leaders, and the public.
If you’ve looked at past contracts, you might have noticed that if you’ve received general wage increases per year, they were provided in percentage increases. Governments and employers have a recent tradition of pushing wage freezes or increases in the form of percentages. They like to speak of these percentages as “mandates”, and employers want all workers to respect these wage mandates regardless of how much these workers get paid per hour.
Employers like to negotiate percentage increases rather than flat rate increases. Wage percentage increases have the negative impact of widening wage gaps between classifications. Those with higher salaries make larger increases in real dollars compared to lower-paid workers. Over time, this compounds into unjustifiable wage gaps.EXAMPLE 1
*based on an 8-hour work day, not take home amount (deductions still apply)
Higher-paid civil servants like NB Deputy Ministers might think a 5% increase is a high percentage from their point of view, but it only represents $1.00/hour for someone making $20.00/hour.
EXAMPLE 2
*based on 40 hours per week, not take home amount (deductions still apply)
An important first step is to negotiate wage increases which give each worker the same dollars and cents-per-hour wage increase – also known as a flat rate wage increase. This stops the wage gap from widening between the lowest and highest paid.
EXAMPLE 3
*based on a 40 hours work week, not take home amount (deductions still apply)
Flat-rate wage increases maintain the differences between classifications throughout the wage grid. All wages move up by the same amount, by the same flat rate. Percentage wage increases, on the other hand, increase the top rates more than the bottom rates and has the effect of increasing the wage differential amongst classifications on the wage grid.
CUPE members in New Brunswick are dealing with the impacts of record inflation and are fighting to address it at the bargaining table.
Inflation is a measurement of price increases. If inflation goes up by 7% as it did in 2022, that means workers are paying 7% more than they did the previous year for the same goods. Inflation piles up from year to year. That means that even if inflation goes down this year, prices are still higher than they were before.
If wages stay the same from year to year but inflation increases, then your wages will not be able to pay for the same amount of goods and services they did before.
What caused this record inflation?
The pandemic caused supply chain issues, there is a war in Ukraine, oil prices have gone up, and corporations are still making record profits on the backs of workers. All these elements are factors driving inflation up. Workers are feeling the effects of record-high inflation and it is not because of bad budgeting, it is because wages are not going as far. Workers did not cause the spike in costs. Wages in the public and private sectors have not been keeping up with inflation for the past few years.
In bargaining, it pays to think ahead.
To get real pay rises, we need to negotiate above inflation for the whole duration of the contract, not just for a year or two. We need to calculate costs carefully for each year and negotiate in a preventive way because inflation almost never comes down in the negative to undo the lasting damage done to prices. If that were the case, a dollar would be still enough to buy a pop and bag of chips!
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It is deeply concerning that the NB Premier, Blaine Higgs, and his government have demonstrated a consistent lack of regard for the rights and obligations of consultation of the Indigenous peoples of New Brunswick. Higgs’s recent statement regarding the intention to ‘move on’ with hydrofracking without the consent of Indigenous peoples on unceded and un-surrendered Indigenous lands is not only reckless but also aggressive and unacceptable. Read our full statement below:
We stand in solidarity with the New Brunswick Teacher’s Association, Pride in Education, and the 2SLGBTQI+ community, whether this government likes it or not. We invite you to participate in the demonstration organized by Fredericton Pride and Pride in Education at the Legislative Assembly this Saturday, May 13 at 1:00 pm
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Moncton – During a press conference held this morning, CUPE representatives denounced the GNB Finance and Treasury Board’s decision to oust all CUPE representatives from the Standing Committee on Insured Benefits (SCIB). SCIB is an employee and employer-composed board made to oversee provincially negotiated benefit plans covering over 90,000 provincial public sector workers, retirees, and family members. Vestcor administers the benefit plans, many of which are carried by Medavie Blue Cross. Benefits range from health, dental, travel, life and death insurance, many of which members pay premiums on.
“A Director with GNB’s Finance and Treasury Board who also chairs SCIB has no right to unilaterally remove all CUPE representatives from SCIB”, said Iris Lloyd, President of CUPE Local 1253 and worker representative on SCIB.
Recently, Treasury Board demanded that all SCIB board members sign a highly restrictive non-disclosure agreement (NDA), even specifying that only Vestcor could release information to plan members.
“Treasury Board has demanded that all elected worker representatives cease to share information with their general membership. We cannot accept this, as this would go against our obligations towards our members and retirees,” said Bryan Harris, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 1252 and himself one of the ousted worker representatives on SCIB.
“Treasury Board is mistaken to think we, as worker representatives, have no obligations to share information and decisions with the very people who put us on that committee,” said Sandy Harding, CUPE Maritimes Regional Director. CUPE remarks that every single benefit has been the result of bargaining table negotiations. “Their decision to exclude workers’ voices makes no sense, other than wanting to hide information from the 90,000 plan participants and the public,” added Harding.
The Auditor General has recently criticized SCIB for lacking transparency. “Workers agreed with many of the Auditor’s findings, and the recent issue of increased health premiums raised many flags. In retaliation, Treasury Board reacted by doubling down on secrecy,” said CUPE Researcher Gabrielle Ross-Marquette, who also is an alternate for workers’ voice for CUPE on SCIB.
“We demand the Treasury Board comply with the Auditor General’s findings for more transparency. They need to get rid of the NDA, and reintegrate CUPE workers’ voice on SCIB,” said Ross-Marquette.
SCIB was formed in the early 1990s with a signed agreement between unions and the government to talk about benefit issues at one table. Every month, CUPE members and retirees pay premiums on many benefits. “Members have skin in this game. Without their voices, SCIB loses its purpose,” said Iris Lloyd.
“Treasury Board should recognize their mistake or get ready to set up a series of individual tables between unions and employers to oversee each of those bargained benefits,” concluded Harding.
Close to 300 delegates, observers and guests attended the 60th Annual CUPE New Brunswick Convention held in Moncton, April 18 – 22.
Delegates strongly endorsed a number of resolutions, updated the CUPE NB by-laws, and discussed cost-of-living issues, inclusion, diversity, and much more.
On Wednesday, delegates rallied in front of the Moncton City Hall to show their support for the NB teachers who are fighting for a fair negotiated deal. CUPE NB members were also present on the picket line of our PSAC Brothers and Sisters – Federal employees who began Canada’s largest strike on April 19.
Delegates heard from guest speakers, including CUPE National President Mark Hancock, Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick, Daniel Légère, President of the NB Federation of Labour and Jane McAlevey, a well-known US union organizer and labour campaigning specialist.
Convention-goers celebrated Local 51 member Keith Hatto, who was presented with this year’s Health and Safety Award. Local 1418 President Shawna Morton received this year’s Women’s Leadership Award.
Election Results
Stephen Drost was re-elected as CUPE NB President for another 2-year term. “This is a privilege I do not take likely, and I fully commit to protecting workers and public sector jobs,” said Stephen Drost. “I wish to thank all members for their commitment to the labour movement and for their continued support,” added Drost.
Serge Plourde, from Local 4193, was elected 2nd VP for CUPE NB. He is also the representative for small locals on the executive board, along with Jason Towers, of Local 3433. Justin Spooner, a member of Local 824 (part of Local 1253) was elected Trustee for a three-year term.
Moving Forward
During the next year, the Division aims to build on the solidarity among our locals. The Division will also work with other unions and community allies to strengthen public services for all. Beyond pushing for improved labour legislations and wages that go above inflation for all workers, CUPE NB will keep a close watch on the coming provincial election in 2024 and a potential snap federal election. The Division remains committed to bargaining forward to build strong communities.
CUPE members rallied to support NB teachers’ struggle for a fair deal with the provincial government. The rally was held in Moncton.
Watch the Global News report here: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/aa3ae70e-def7-11ed-9581-0242ac110005/?jwsource=cl
CUPE NB began its 60th annual convention this Tuesday evening, April 18. Convention will last until Saturday morning, April 22, more than 300 convention-goers will come from the four corners of the province to assemble at the Delta Beausejour convention hall in Moncton.
Delegates will debate resolutions, rally in support of teachers on Wednesday and hear speeches from multiple speakers such as CUPE National Officers Mark Hancock and Candace Rennick, Danielle Samson of the CLC and Daniel Legere, President of the NBFL.
Jane McAlevey, a well-known US union organizer and campaign strategist is the Keynote speaker for Friday. She will address the delegates via Zoom to talk about how we can build a fighting labour movement. Her presentation is centered around how to organize our locals and build mass support, bringing new workers into unions that wage mass strikes to fight anti-union employers and right-wing governments.
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