Post-Secondary Educaiton

News about our post-secondary education sector members

Manitoba fiscal update is good news for province’s workers

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The province’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook tabled in the Manitoba Legislature today offers a more progressive way of ensuring that the wealthy pay their fair share. With the implementation of a new tax bracket that would see Manitoba’s highest earners provide slightly more in income taxes, the province is able to expand tax credits and supports for lower income earners.

“The 98% of Manitobans who don’t earn over $170,000 per year expect the government to help build a more level playing field,” said Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba. “Ensuring that the wealthy pay their fair share is good for working families”.

The fiscal outlook is an excellent tool for Manitobans to understand the nature of government budgeting, as well as a current look into the state of the Manitoba economy.

“While the Progressive Conservatives used much of today in an attempt to filibuster the government’s update, we are pleased that it was ultimately tabled for Manitobans to view,” said Moist. “The PCs have yet to offer Manitobans anything of substance themselves, and instead turn to parliamentary tactics to stall valuable discussion”.

The Manitoba Government is also committed to continued funding to health and education, and expanding childcare, ensuring that the province builds stronger public services for Manitobans.

“Other provinces are opting to cut funding to schools and hospitals, while Manitoba chooses to invest,” said Moist. “Manitobans should be proud that this government continues to fund the services we all rely on”.

Manitoba government offers responsible, visionary plan: CUPE

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WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s NDP government has once again offered the province a progressive vision for the upcoming year in its annual speech from the throne, in what CUPE Manitoba is calling “a responsible and visionary plan.”

“The Manitoba government has offered an incredibly progressive plan that reflects the needs of a great cross-section of Manitobans” said Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba, “offering paid leave for victims of domestic violence, ensuring support for new refugees, confirming funding for Shoal Lake’s freedom road – this is the whole package.”

This year’s Throne Speech reflects the nation-wide calls for action on numerous key issues, both domestic and international, positioning Manitoba as a clear leader on social justice and progressive economic growth.

“After over a decade of steady growth and pragmatic stewardship over the economy, this government is well poised to tackle some pretty big issues” said Moist, “Manitobans expect a government that is both responsible and visionary, and that’s what today’s Throne Speech offers.”

Highlights of the Throne Speech include extending paid leave to victims of domestic violence, support for Syrian and other refugees, a renewed call for a  national inquiry on missing and murdered Indigenous women, a renewed commitment to building the Shoal Lake 40 freedom road, investments in infrastructure and rapid transit, stable funding for colleges and universities, and a commitment to building 12,000 affordable childcare spaces.

The Throne Speech further commits to protecting Manitoba’s crown corporations against privatization.

“While other provinces are recklessly privatizing their key assets, Manitoba’s NDP government has pledged to protect our important institutions” said Moist, “all we need to do is look to our east or west to see what Liberal and Conservative governments have to offer, and it’s not pretty.”

Additionally the Throne Speech continues the government’s steady funding towards health care, education, infrastructure, and improving long-term care, all of which affect the work that CUPE members perform daily

“As the union that represents workers in communities and workplaces across Manitoba, we are excited to work with this government as it turns its vision into reality,” said Moist, “today’s Throne Speech is a great launching point for a new, progressive plan for our province.”

Better Choice: let’s start talking about the Federal election

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The country’s slow economic recovery has left 2.8 million Canadians unemployed or underemployed. Nearly three quarters of the jobs created in the past six years have been precarious (part-time, temporary or in the self-employed sector). With limited job prospects, household debt is at an all-time high.

Soon, you will get to choose how we overcome these challenges.

There is a better choice. One that gets us ready to support and care for our aging population. One that gives Canadians high-quality, secure jobs instead of short-term, temporary positions. One that provides programs that benefit everyone—instead of tax relief programs that benefit a select few.

We believe there is a better choice for you and the economy.

What will you choose?

Visit the campaign betterchoice.ca to learn more!

Manitoba budget supports education. What it means for CUPE members

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The Manitoba Government’s 2015 provincial budget was released on April 30th.

Throughout this week we will be featuring a number of key CUPE sectors and how the budget affects members within that sector.

What is the provincial budget?

The provincial budget is the implementation of the government’s vision for the next year, as well as commitments to long-term and short-term investments.

Being part of a national union, CUPE members in Manitoba know that the cuts made in other provinces are not happening here. The Manitoba NDP has committed to supporting the services that Manitobans rely on.

CUPE members are the backbone of our education system, from K-12 through to post-secondary education. CUPE members work as school bus drivers, mechanics, custodians, education assistants, librarians, and other support staff in our schools, and as sessional instructors, librarians, teaching assistants, and grader-markers at the University of Manitoba, many of whom are students themselves.

So what does the 2015 provincial budget mean to CUPE members in Manitoba?

K-12 Education

The provincial government is increasing funding for K-12 education, ensuring that our school system receives the funding it needs to provide quality education for our children. This is in stark contrast to other provinces like Ontario and BC that have made drastic cuts and forced education support staff and teachers to strike.

Post-Secondary Education

The budget presents $20 million in new funding for post-secondary education, which includes a 2.5% funding increase to Manitoba universities and 2% to colleges.

Other provinces like Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan have have been cutting funding to post-secondary education, and university administrations have been permitted to raise tuition by exorbitant rates, forcing faculty and support staff to strike. Even Manitoba’s university presidents applaud the government’s funding commitment, and recognize the cuts faced in other provinces (though while they support the government for rejecting cuts, the university administrators are imposing cuts themselves on workers).

The government is also realizing its commitment to eliminating interest on all Manitoba student loans, making post-secondary education more accessible.

The budget also removes car ownership as a barrier to accessing student loans, a move advocated by the Canadian Federation of Students ­ Manitoba.

The province has committed to the creation of a new Post-Secondary Strategy, which CUPE will be actively monitoring to ensure it includes support for our members and the community at the University of Manitoba.

CUPE will continue to push back against the University of Manitoba administration to fight against proposed cuts to programs, departments, or staff, and encourage the provincial government to reduce tuition fees and treat staff fairly.

Stay tuned for “Manitoba budget supports health care: What it means for CUPE members”

Provincial budget reflects needs of Manitobans, invests in services.

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The Manitoba Government’s 2015 provincial budget was released on April 30th, and reflects the NDP’s commitment to working families across the province.

“Our NDP government is a strong steward of the economy” says Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba. “Manitobans want government to invest in core services and infrastructure, and that is exactly what this government is doing”.

The provincial budget is the implementation of the government’s vision for the next year, as well as commitments to long-term and short-term investments.

“Being part of a national union, CUPE members in Manitoba know that other governments have recently implemented deep cuts to government services which particularly impact society’s most vulnerable people” said Moist. “The Manitoba NDP has committed to supporting the services that Manitobans rely on”.

Of particular note are the unprecedented investments in infrastructure that will create jobs, stimulate the economy, raise wages across the province, improve road safety, protect Manitobans against floods, and improve other aspects of our provincial infrastructure.

The budget announced continued investments in childcare spaces in Manitoba, significant funding increases for acute health care and long-term care, as well as increased funding to education and post-secondary education.

The province made good on a commitment to eliminate interest on Manitoba student loans, making post-secondary education more accessible, and once again increases the minimum wage.

Additionally, the province has acted on recommendations from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’ “View from Here”, endorsed by CUPE Manitoba, enhancing Rent Assist by $22 million to move it to 75% of median market rent.

“We are pleased that this government chooses to invest in the community, from infrastructure to childcare” said Moist. “This government understands the value of a diverse economy that supports families as well as economic growth”.

CUPE Manitoba represents approximately 25,000 public sector workers in health care, municipalities, school divisions, energy, airlines, social services and childcare, post-secondary education, and more.

Federal budget rewards the rich but fails every day Canadians

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via CUPE.ca


Ottawa, ON – The Conservative’s 2015 federal budget may balance the books, but it is highly unbalanced in its impact on Canadians.  It puts millions of seniors at risk of poverty, abandons families in need of affordable child care and quality public health care, and doesn’t help Canadians workers who need better jobs, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

“The Conservatives have chosen irresponsible economic policies that slash revenues to benefit a few corporations and the wealthy,” says Paul Moist, national president of CUPE, Canada’s largest union. “This budget does far more harm than good in addressing the gap between workers and the richest Canadians. With this budget, that gap will only continue to grow.”

Maintaining unreasonably low corporate taxes, income splitting, tax credits for wealthy families like the expanded TFSA’s provide no help for every day Canadians.  These measures recklessly slash federal revenues that will mean more cuts to public services that Canadians depend on.

“Expanding TFSA does almost nothing to help the over 11 million Canadians without a work place pension. Instead of expanding the Canada Pension Plan – widely seen as the most effective, efficient and affordable way to keep seniors out of poverty – the Conservatives only offer another tax shelter for the rich,” says Moist. “The lost revenues from expanding TFSA’s – at least $1 billion over the next five years – will only mean more pressure on OAS/GIS. This budget is an unqualified failure for the vast majority of Canadian seniors.”

Canadian families struggling to find affordable child care are also left without any help.

“Families are spending more on child care than on housing – up to $2000 a month. This means the tax credit being offered up by Conservatives will barely cover one month. And that will be for only handful of families; most won’t get a dime,” says Moist.

The Conservatives lack of leadership on child care is even more pronounced in health care. Despite long waiting lists, five million Canadians without a family doctor, and skyrocketing prescription drug prices, the 2015 federal budget confirms Conservatives are cutting more than $36 billion from health care.

“We need strong federal leadership to strengthen our public health care system,” says Moist. “Our public health care is coming apart at the seams, and Conservatives simply shrug their shoulders hoping someone else will take care of it.”

CUPE is urging the Official Opposition to move budget amendments that will help create quality jobs, make urgent investments in public health care and child care, expand the CPP, and introduce measures that protect valued public services.

“This budget is clearly taking our country in the wrong direction. It fails workers, families, seniors, students, Indigenous peoples and the environment,” says Moist. “The only bright side is that with our pending federal election, this will be the Conservatives last budget. Next budget, we’ll be able to start repairing the damage done. It’s time for a change.”

CUPE’s complete analysis of the 2015 federal budget will be available on cupe.ca.

For more information:

Greg Taylor
CUPE Media Relations
613 818-0067
gtaylor@cupe.ca

Local 3909 fights back against budget cuts

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CUPE Local 3909, representing academic support staff at the University of Manitoba, jacksjoined with other campus labour and student groups to fight back against cuts imposed by the university’s administration on departments and staff.

The University of Manitoba is already acting on a proposed 4% cut across all departments, with the bulk of the cuts falling on programs and support staff.  Dozens of support staff jobs have already been cut, with 26 AESES jobs being reported as lost.

On April 1st, hundreds of students and staff rallied outside the Board of Governors meeting room, and marched through campus calling on the university to immediately end the cuts, and to ensure adequate funding for all programs and staff.

“We are not alone in our unrest,” said Jennifer Black, CUPE 3909 Vice-President Unit 1.  Black stressed the importance of standing in solidarity with students in Québec who have been marching in the streets in opposition to tuition fee hikes, as well as academic staff in Ontario who went on strike demanding an end to poverty wages and precarious employment.  “Today we throw our collective energy behind that surge to push back against dangerous budget cuts proposed by our university,” said Black.

CUPE Local 3909 represents approximately 1,500 academic support staff at the University of Manitoba.

For more information visit 3909.cupe.ca.

Hundreds of students and workers unite to fight cuts at U of M

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Campus labour and student groups at the University of Manitoba held a rally on January 27th in opposition to major across-the-board cuts proposed by the university’s administration. The University of Manitoba is proposing 4% cuts across the university, yet have been silent on details. IMG_4200

CUPE Locals 3909, 1482, and 5156 joined a coalition with the University of Manitoba Faculty Association, Association of Employees Supporting Education Services (AESES), Unifor, the Student Action Network, Canadian Federation of Students, University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) and others in opposition to these cuts, as well as to the ongoing corporatization of campus services and programs.

Jennifer Black, CUPE Local 3909 Vice-President Unit 1, representing student academic workers, spoke at the event highlighting the impact the proposed cuts would have on the university community. “These cuts could include layoffs and reductions in academic support staff campus-wide” said Black, “the administration is proposing an austerity budget that would greatly harm the quality of education provided by the University of Manitoba.”

Students and workers began the march at the university’s engineering complex and detoured through the university’s Administration Building after attempting to walk-in on the Board of Governors meeting taking place on campus. “Students and campus workers are taking direct action” said Black, “the University needs to see exactly how high the stakes are when they propose cuts to our education.”

CUPE represents approximately 1,600 post-secondary workers in Manitoba.

For more photos check out the CUPE MB photo gallery

CUPE Manitoba Solidarity Sector Conference an Overwhelming Success!

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Over 140 CUPE members from across the province met in Brandon from November 26 – 29 at the CUPE Manitoba Solidarity Sector Conference.

At this conference members from Healthcare, Social Services, Municipalities, Long-term Care, and School Divisions met to discuss issues facing their sectors.

Additionally, special guest speakers included Mark Janson, CUPE Research who spoke to a number of sectors on Defined Benefit pension plans, CUPE National President Paul Moist who spoke about Manitoba’s positive track record on pensions, comparing Manitoba to other provinces where pensions are under attack. Newly elected Brandon City Councilor Lonnie Patterson also spoke on the importance of labour activists getting involved in local politics and elections.

For photos of the conference, visit CUPE Manitoba on Facebook or check out our Flikr gallery!

“Its Our University Too!” Staff and Students United in a Rally for Action

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3909

On February 13th, six campus unions (CUPE 3909, UMSU, UMFA, CAW, AESES, and CUPE 1482) will hold an information picket at the Administration Building to voice concerns over actions by the administration supporting corporatization, privatization, contracting-out, diminished collegial governance, and increased workload.

The event will take place from 11:30 to 1:30 with food and drinks available.  Starting at 12:00 p.m., union representatives will talk about how the administration’s actions have affected their members

Since the commencement of the ROSE / OARS initiatives, students and staff at the University of Manitoba have been under increased strain as working and learning conditions come under attack.  We’ve all witnessed AESES workers overwhelmed as they are obliged to learn to use new operating systems that do not streamline work as promised; CAW employee numbers decrease and workload increases while the respectful workplace environment is eroded; students are excluded from voicing their concerns over the University’s future and conditions are created to allow for increased tuition and other user fees; and UMFA members, who are finding that collegial governance is diminishing, are concerned over proposed changes that will greatly impact programs and their working conditions.

Throughout all of these harmful changes to our working and learning environment, the administration at the University of Manitoba has been advertising itself as an “Employer of Choice” and one of “Manitoba’s Top 25 Employers.” The administration touts the employee benefits, physical facilities, and a respectful environment as some of the reasons that people choose to work at U of M.  For members of CUPE 3909, this self congratulatory tone is unwarranted: we are rarely eligible for benefits, we are often denied appropriate space to teach or to work, and while we get respect from students, it is sadly lacking from our employers.

Working conditions for CUPE 3909 members have never been optimal.  Student academic workers today are more likely to find themselves expected to work more hours than those assigned in their contracts and sessional employees are more uncertain about their futures than ever as courses are cut or reassigned without explanation and hiring practices become more opaque.  For both students and sessional employees, the corporate model degrades working conditions and drives down our wages.

CUPE 3909 works through the grievance procedure and through collective bargaining to protect and improve conditions for our members, but on February 13th we have an opportunity to raise our voices for ourselves and in solidarity with students and colleagues.  The actions of the administration towards employees and students directly contradict the image being promoted locally and nationally.

The changes we have seen under the Barnard administration, particularly over the last year, show an employer that is more concerned about external impressions and advertising awards than with conditions inside the university.

This information rally is a chance to show the University of Manitoba that a wide swath of the university community finds the direction administration is taking unacceptable and that we are all frustrated and dissatisfied.  We want the administration to know that this campus belongs to the entire university community and to the citizens of Manitoba.

CUPE 3909 will be providing signs for members to carry at the rally. You will receive more emails providing further information on pre-printed signs and “open message” signs where you can print your particular concerns.  Transportation to and from the Bannatyne campus will also be arranged.

All unions will be advertising this event around campus with posters and through direct member communications. CUPE 3909 urges you to come out in a show of solidarity and wear red to show how you feel.  Take a stand against the administration’s lack of regard for the students and for its employees.

Help send a strong message, rally for a change in direction because IT’S OUR UNIVERSITY TOO.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact: cupe3909@gmail.com or (204) 453-5493