On September 30th, also known as Truth and Reconciliation Day (TRD), we invite all union members to take time to remember the victims and survivors of residential schools. This day was proclaimed a statutory holiday by the Federal Government in 2021. At last, thanks to indigenous activism, public pressure, grievances made by CUPE locals and more, the New Brunswick government just proclaimed it a statutory holiday.
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Last this week, it was revealed that New Brunswick’s government employee “shared-risk” pension plan failed to pay retired employees a full cost-of-living increase on retirement benefits. Vestcor – the corporation managing over $21 billion in public employee pension and other funds – cannot guarantee higher future payouts to compensate for the current shortfall.
Vestcor Inc. head office in Fredericton, NB
“Retirees are being short-changed. On behalf of our retirees and current members, we are demanding that Finance Minister Ernie Steeves and Premier Blaine Higgs force Vestcor to open their books to the Auditor General,” said Steve Drost, President of CUPE NB.
In early 2021, Auditor General Kim Adair-MacPherson released a scathing report demonstrating a serious lack of transparency from Vestcor, which constrained her ability to do her job. As a watchdog for citizens, the Auditor General (AG) has the mandate to examine public accounts, including public sector pensions. “To this day, Vestcor still refuses to let the AG have access to the information needed so she can report instances of misuse of funds or mismanagement. This is more than suspicious,” said Drost.
Over the last 5 years, Vestcor has been criticized for giving lavish performance bonuses to its top managers, despite being among the lowest-performing investment management company in Canada. “Their recent failure to follow inflation is another clear-cut case that proves privatization of public services does not serve the citizens,” said Drost.
After a career in public service, CUPE members will have a very modest pension upon retirement. “With a defined-benefit plan, like most had before Higgs set up Vestcor after he dismantled the crown corporation that managed public service pensions, workers would have seen their pensions keep up with inflation. Workers’ wages and pensions – which are deferred wages – should at the very least keep up with inflation,” concluded Drost.
Labour Day is a time to reflect on the many contributions of working people. It’s a time to celebrate the struggles of the past and prepare for those ahead. 
We wish to give thanks and recognize the exceptional work done by front-line workers. In the last 12 months, you, CUPE members, stood on the picket lines across the province to protect the public services New Brunswickers need and rely on.
On this Labour Day, we celebrate and embrace your solidarity which is the backbone of working-class action. It is with this spirit of unity among all workers that we must keep on fighting for good jobs, strengthen the worker’s movement and workers’ power.
This year, we have heard so many heartbreaking and concerning examples of staff shortages. The root cause of this – the shortage of good jobs in both the private and the public sector – is what we must tackle. It is our systems that are failing us, not the frontline workers: we are committed to protecting our public services for all New Brunswickers.
Workers can no longer settle for the ongoing exploitation and poor working conditions that they were dealing with before the COVID-19 pandemic.
That is why CUPE is pushing to expand union rights to all workers in our province. Organizing, joining a union and fighting for better jobs, better protections and benefits, is the best way to guarantee workers have to make real change happen.
This Labour Day, we recommit to building worker-to-worker solidarity. Let’s celebrate the extraordinary things that everyday people can accomplish when we combine our efforts and work together toward common goals. Collective action works.
On behalf of the 28 000 members of CUPE NB, we wish you and your family a safe and happy Labour Day.
In solidarity,
The CUPE NB Executive
Link to Labour Day events in your region: https://nb.cupe.ca/event/nb-labour-day-events/?instance_id=139
Download the flyer here: 2022_CUPE_Atlantic_Political_Summit_
Are you interested in fostering bargaining and political power within your local? Do you want to learn what is at stake and what it takes to develop policies and legislation which strengthen the labour movement? Would you consider helping in campaigns or running for a provincial or federal seat? Do you want to develop an NDP that works better for workers? Then please join MP Leah Gazan (MB), former MP Peggy Nash (ON), former MLA Howard Epstein (NS), NDP MLA Suzy Hansen (NS) and others to learn how to do just that.
We will look at the problem of decades of neo-liberal governance; how to fight back; develop an intersectional analysis; and develop a deeper understanding of climate justice from experts across the Atlantic.
! Join the CUPE NB crew before 2:30, in the parking behind City Hall. For more info: https://nb.cupe.ca/event/fredericton-pride-parade-de-la-fierte/?instance_id=137 ! Rejoignez vous à nous avant 14 :30, derrière l’édifice municipal.
Greetings Sisters, Brothers, and Friends,
On behalf of CUPE NB, I wish you and your family a Happy New Brunswick Day. This year’s celebration is particularly important as we are now over two years into the COVID 19 pandemic. Many of our public services have been stretched to the maximum and yet you still show up and do your best to provide quality public services to the people of New Brunswick. We thank you on New Brunswick Day, and we value you and your work every day.
In Solidarity,
Stephen Drost
CUPE NB President.
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Salutations, consœurs, confrères et amis,
Au nom du SCFP NB, je vous souhaite, à vous et à votre famille, une bonne fête du Nouveau-Brunswick. La célébration de cette année est particulièrement importante puisque la pandémie de COVID 19 dure maintenant depuis plus de deux ans. Bon nombre de nos services publics ont été poussés au maximum et pourtant, vous êtes toujours prêts à faire de votre mieux pour offrir des services publics de qualité au pour tous les citoyens. En cette fête du Nouveau-Brunswick, le SCFP NB tient à vous remercier et vous dire que nous apprécions le travail que vous faites à tous les jours.
En toute solidarité,
Stephen Drost
Président du SCFP NB.
Your union wants to hear from you. We are collecting frontline stories, and we want your testimonial to expose the shocking conditions in which our members work and New Brunswickers receive services.
Fill out the short survey here.
Alarming stories from members across the province, across all sectors, are coming in. We have stories of members working short-staffed, not taking their breaks, being denied vacation, or experiencing violence. With your story, we will have a more complete picture of the situation, in all regions, and in multiple classifications. This will be crucial to help us educate and compel the public, government, and our employers to act on the urgent need to improve our working conditions.
As Canada’s largest union, we acknowledge that because of these ongoing events, it is more important than ever to respect the rights of Indigenous peoples to their unceded territories, as well as to preserve and protect their cultures and languages. CUPE stands in solidarity with Indigenous nations, communities, and organizations and is committed to continuing to work towards reconciliation and respect our ongoing treaty relationships.
Our union is striving to educate CUPE members on the legacy of the residential school system and the ongoing harm Canada’s assimilationist policies and laws have on Indigenous peoples.
CUPE’s new guide, Truth and reconciliation: CUPE taking action through collective bargaining, is a resource that supports locals in working towards reconciliation by bargaining language supporting Indigenous workers into collective agreements.
In 2019, CUPE released Walking the talk: A practical guide to reconciliation for CUPE locals. This guide provides CUPE members with key resources to better acknowledge and include Indigenous members in our union, and to help locals take concrete action towards reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
As part of our ongoing efforts to foster reconciliation in our workplaces and communities, we encourage all members to participate in National Indigenous Peoples Day by sharing in the events of the day. But we can do more. CUPE encourages members to take some time to learn and reflect on the ongoing harm caused by colonialism and Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples.
Today, we are launching the first phase of our Water is life campaign, starting with educational materials to raise awareness of the impacts of not having access to safe drinking water for Indigenous peoples in Canada. Check out our brand-new fact sheet and resource list.
We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered the ways people interact, but it is now even easier to attend events related to National Indigenous Peoples Day through virtual platforms, while some in-person events are returning this year as well.
What CUPE locals and members can do:
Educate:
Bargain:
Act:
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