Illustration of a fist raised in protest with text that says: CUPE 2099, strike, Mount Pearl municipal workers

On strike at the City of Mount Pearl!

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Illustration of a fist raised in protest with text that says: CUPE 2099, strike, Mount Pearl municipal workersMunicipal employees at the City of Mount Pearl went on strike this evening. The members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2099 have been in collective bargaining with the city since March.

CUPE 2099 represents more than 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, engineering, planning, and more.

“We don’t want to be on strike, but our employer refuses to bargain a fair collect agreement,” says Ken Turner, CUPE 2099 president. “One of the main issues is they want to set-up a two-tier system with inferior benefits for new hires. We won’t accept a contract that doesn’t provide the same rights and benefits for ‘all’ workers.” 

Image of a pair of over-ear headphones and text that says: CUPE 2099; New radio ad from the municipal workers, City of Mount Pearl; listen.

Mount Pearl municipal workers take to the airwaves with new radio ad

creynolds Collective Bargaining

Image of a pair of over-ear headphones and text that says: CUPE 2099; New radio ad from the municipal workers, City of Mount Pearl; listen.Updated July 7, 2022

Municipal workers with the City of Mount Pearl, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 2099, are launching a radio ad campaign today in an effort to reach a tentative agreement with their employer. The ad urges the public to contact city council and ask them to bargain a fair contract with workers.

CUPE 2099 represents more than 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, engineering, planning, and more.

The union is making every effort to reach a deal and to avoid a possible strike or lockout, which could happen any day now and would disrupt municipal services for residents and businesses.

“We want the employer to stop attacking our health benefits plan. We won’t accept a collective agreement that doesn’t provide the same rights and benefits for all workers,” says Ken Turner, president of CUPE 2099.

The ad is airing on VOCM, K-Rock, and HOT 99.1.

Listen to the ad

The following is a message from CUPE 2099, Mount Pearl municipal workers.

They take care of garbage collection, roads, administration… as well as rec. centres, pools, sports fields, and more.

The city wants to make cuts to their health plan and set up a two-tier system with inferior benefits for new employees.

CUPE won’t accept a contract that doesn’t provide the “same” benefits for “all” workers.

We’re proud to deliver quality, public services in Mount Pearl. Please tell city council to bargain a fair contract with workers.

CUPE 2099 logo with illustration of a municipal skyline

Mount Pearl municipal workers to hold rally at city hall today at 5 p.m.

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Municipal workers, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) local 2099, will be holding a rally in front of the Mount Pearl City Hall today at 5 p.m., at the same time the mayor and councillors will be holding a city council meeting.

“We want the concessions and two-tier proposals made by the city removed from the table and we want them to bargain a fair wage adjustment. We won’t accept a collective agreement that doesn’t provide the same rights and benefits for all workers and a reasonable wage adjustment,” says Turner.

CUPE 2099 is making every effort to reach a deal and to avoid a possible strike or lockout, which could happen as early as 12:01 a.m. on Monday, July 4.

WHERE: 3 Centennial Street in Mount Pearl, NL

WHEN: Tuesday, June 28 starting at 5 p.m.

WHO:

  • Members of CUPE 2099 and President Ken Turner
  • CUPE NL President Sherry Hillier
  • Supporters from other unions including: CUPE 3034, Conception Bay South; CUPE 569, St. John’s; CUPE 1289, St. John’s; CUPE 1615, Memorial University; and others.


CUPE 2099 represents more than 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, engineering, and planning.

Web banner. Images of a TV and a laptop showing a television ad. Text: Urgent action required. Stop Premier Furey’s plan to destroy our public services. Reject the Reset.

CUPE public sector workers launch TV ad in Newfoundland and Labrador

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This week, CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador launched a TV ad campaign, speaking out about the damage that will be done if Premier Andrew Furey’s plan for the economy, known as the “Big Reset”, is allowed to continue.

The TV ad is now airing on NTV and will begin on CBC on June 27. A digital campaign is also being launched, asking the public to “Reject the Reset” and stop Premier Furey’s plan to destroy our public services. A message to the premier and MHA’s can be sent via the campaign website at RejectTheResetNL.ca.

Watch the ad below. 

“As frontline providers of public services, we are worried about the damage that will be caused by Premier Furey’s plans to privatize services and sell-off provincial assets,” said Sherry Hillier, CUPE NL president. “With the premier’s plan, we’ll lose control of services, costs will rise, and quality will suffer.”

“Thousands of good jobs will be lost,” adds Hillier. “At a time when the cost of living is soaring, we need to invest in public services, not make cuts. Public services make life more affordable and more equal for everyone.”

“We’re also alarmed about the creation of one provincial ‘superboard’ health authority and the impact that it will have on patients, staff, and quality of care. We’ve seen it happen it Nova Scotia and it’s a disaster,” says Hillier.

“Our government needs to act quickly to protect our public health care system and ensure that every resident of Newfoundland and Labrador has access to quality care, when and where they need it. With the premier’s plan, hospitals and clinics in rural areas will be lost. Decisions about health care services will be based on profit margins. Also, Furey’s plan means parents will have less of a say in their children’s education,” says Hillier. “We must act now and ‘reject the reset’.”

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Photo of meeting of the NL Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG) in a boardroom

Municipal sector CUPE locals unite to discuss bargaining strategies

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Members from several CUPE locals in Newfoundland and Labrador met on the evening of May 18, 2022, to convene the CUPE NL Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG).

Photo of meeting of the NL Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG) in a boardroomFormed in 2006 and re-activated at the meeting held Wednesday, the group discussed ways of building solidarity by encouraging new and inactive locals to participate in the group as well.

CUPE national servicing representatives and CUPE NL President Sherry Hillier facilitated the discussion with municipal local executives, focusing primarily on the challenges with employers’ current bargaining trends and participation in CUPE’s provincial Reject the Reset campaign.

The collective agreements for CUPE locals 569, 1289, 2099 and 5459 all expire on June 30, 2022.

Participating locals include:

CUPE 569 St. John’s (outside workers)
CUPE 1289 St. John’s (inside workers)
CUPE 1349 Town of Grand Falls-Windsor
CUPE 2099 City of Mount Pearl
CUPE 3034 Town of Conception Bay South
CUPE 5459 St. John’s Sports and Entertainment Ltd.

The CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG) represents approximately 1,800 members working in the municipal sector as heavy equipment operators, recreation workers, city inspectors, planners, taxation, administration, and many other job classifications.

Photo a large screen in a boardroom with five people participating in a conference call for the NL Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG)

Photo of meeting of the NL Municipal Occupational Group (NLMOG) in a boardroom

Committee

Apply to be on a CUPE NL standing committee

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CommitteeBecome a member of one of CUPE NL’s standing committees!

  • Contracting Out and Privatization Committee
  • Human Rights Committee
  • Global Justice Committee
  • Occupational Health and Safety Committee
  • Pensions Committee

The term of each committee is one year, beginning immediately and ending at the 2023 division convention.

How to apply

If you would like to serve on any of these division committees, please apply by sending an email to Sherry Hillier at sherryh@cupe.ca and include the following information: your name, local number, and name of the committee you are applying for.

 

Photo of Mount Pearl city hall, with CUPE NL logo superimposed

Municipal workers file for conciliation in contract negotiations with City of Mount Pearl

creynolds Collective Bargaining

Photo of Mount Pearl city hallNegotiations between municipal workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 2099 and the City of Mount Pearl have reached an impasse, and the union filed a request yesterday for the assistance of a conciliation officer with the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Board.

“Talks have reached a stand still because the employer is demanding major concessions in the contract and there has been very little movement on many issues,” says CUPE 2099 President Ken Turner.

This round of bargaining began March 22, 2022. The two sides have met 12 times to negotiate since then.

“They have proposed language that would change the fundamental meaning of our collective agreement which would adversely affect the rights of all our workers, they’re attacking our benefits, which were fairly negotiated in previous rounds of bargaining, and they’re offering a very small wage increase that will not even come close to offsetting the high increase in the cost of living these days,” says Turner. “Anything less than a wage increase that keeps up with the cost of living means real wage cuts for our members. That’s unacceptable and no way to treat the hardworking people who keep this city running.”

“Hopefully, a conciliation officer will help move things forward to reach a fair and reasonable collective agreement.”

The current agreement between CUPE 2099 and the City of Mount Pearl will expire June 30, 2022.

CUPE 2099 represents approximately 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, engineering, and planning.

Photo of the NL division executive newly elected on May 4, 2022

Election results: 2022 CUPE NL Division Executive

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On May 4, elections were held for the Division Executive Board at the CUPE NL Division Convention. Here are the members of the newly elected division executive.

Results

President
Sherry Hillier – acclaimed

Vice-President
Ernest Green – acclaimed

Secretary-Treasurer
Mike Tobin – acclaimed

Recording Secretary
Theresa Gillam – acclaimed

Executive Officer
Ken Turner

Executive Officer
Natalie Webber

Trustee
Suzanne Hiron

Previously elected trustees:

Eileen Morgan
Stacey Lucas

Executive Officer
Vacant position

Photo of the NL division executive newly elected on May 4, 2022

 

 

Web banner. Text: Seven takeaways for CUPE members, provincial budget, reject the reset

Seven takeaways for CUPE members: Budget 2022-2023

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Web banner. Text: Seven takeaways for CUPE members, reject the reset

Some of the biggest issues that we may face this year were not revealed in the specifics of the 2022-2023 provincial budget. The Furey government tailored their budget to try to pass it off as a good news story. CUPE members should be aware of these seven takeaways.

Download a printable copy of this leaflet.

  1. Centralization of health authorities into one provincial health authority
  • Centralization will not save valuable health dollars for health care, nor will it result in better care.
  • In Nova Scotia and Manitoba where centralization has been attempted, the outcome has been bad for local and rural health needs.
  1. The budget makes real cuts to program spending
  • For most departments, such as health and social services, the amount of program spending was frozen at the 2021-2022 level.
  • The Consumer Price Index rose 3.7% last year, so freezing funding to departments really means that they are getting only 96.3% of what they got last year. In real terms, that’s a cut.
  • The Furey government is planning freezes (cuts) every year until 2026-2027.
  • A few departments did receive funding to keep up with inflation. K-12 education received a 3.8% increase, so it’s one of the only departments to undergo a true “freeze”.
  • The premier’s office got a big increase, receiving 10% additional funding
  1. The Furey government is intentionally predicting less revenue this year
  • The government has projected the average price of oil for the year to be 25% less than what most banks are predicting.
  • If the price of oil keeps up as predicted, it could mean the province will get more than $200 million in royalties.
  • There is money in the budget to pay for real wage increases for public sector workers – the Furey government is just trying to hide it.
  1. Government spending on public sector salaries and benefits fell by 17% since 2015
  • The 2015-2016 budget for salaries and employee benefits was $3.5 billion (in 2015 dollars).
  • The 2022-2024 budget for salaries and employee benefits also allocates $3.5 billion (in 2022 dollars).
  • In seven years, even though the dollar figure has remained the same, $3.5 billion is worth 17% less today because of inflation.
  • It’s simple: public sector workers’ salaries and benefits have not caused a “fiscal crisis”. The crisis is that workers’ salaries and benefits have been cut by so much.
  1. Furey’s plan to privatize publicly owned assets is a bad idea
  • The budget lists three Crown corporations (Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Nalcor Energy, and NL Liquor) as contributing $497 million to government coffers last year.
  • Over the coming year, the amount that these three Crown corporations are expected to contribute is nearly double last year and could bring in $914 million.
  • Why would anyone think selling-off and privatizing publicly owned assets is a good idea?
  1. Balanced budget legislation is bad public policy
  • Balanced budget legislation could freeze growth of public sector employment, freeze wages and benefits, and cut public services and employment during an economic downturn.
  • CUPE is watching closely with our allies in the NL Federation of Labour to see if such legislation would attempt to limit or withdraw collective bargaining rights.
  • This legislation is a “political tool” to pretend to tie the hands of the current and/or future governments – but like any legislation passed by the House of Assembly, it can be overturned by a majority vote.
  1. Privatization and centralization of public services
  • The budget mentions the PERT Report, the Review of Provincial Assets (Rothschild Bank Report), and the NL Health Accord.
  • All these reports are political tools the Furey government is using to soften up Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to believe that there is no alternative to cutting services and selling our public assets to the highest, most well-connected bidder.

Download a printable copy of this leaflet.

Web banner. Text: Become a member-mobilizer! Training workshops: May 12-13 St. John's; May 16-17, Corner Brook; May 18-19, Grand Falls-Windsor

CUPE member-mobilizer training workshops taking place May 12 to 19

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May 12 and 13
CUPE Area Office, St. John’s

May 16 and 17
Greenwood Inn, Corner Brook

May 18 and 19
Mount Peyton Hotel, Grand Falls-Windsor

Premier Andrew Furey’s “Big Reset” report contains recommendations that cause for concern for all workers, both public and private sector. Privatization and the selloff of public assets will impact all CUPE members and their communities.

CUPE NL is fighting back against with our “Reject the Reset” campaign and will be holding member-mobilizer training workshops. The 1.5-day workshop is intended to equip participants with information about the Furey government’s agenda and why we need to “Reject the Reset”. It will also provide strategies to reach all CUPE members by engaging in one-on-one conversations. 

An ideal member-mobilizer would have some of the following attributes: well-respected by coworkers, strong union principles, and good communication skills.

If you or other members of your local are interested in becoming a member-mobilizer, please register for one of the three training workshops by contacting: 

Melody Voykin 
mvoykin@cupe.ca
709-753-0032

CUPE will cover lost wages, per diems, travel and accommodations (if required).

Download a copy of the workshop announcement.