Workplace Violence

CUPE has released a worker-led review of violence in Nova Scotia’s public schools. Thursday, August 15th 2024, NSSBCU along with CUPE NS President Nan McFadgen, held a press conference in Halifax to bring this report to the public.

Four presidents on the NSSBCU Executive took to the mic and bravely spoke about how violence in the workplace effects them, effects our kids and the education our kids are receiving in Nova Scotia.

This is a serious issue. We were not invited to the table to speak to the government during the AG report. We are here and ready to have the important discussion. Come back to the provincial table and discuss the common proposals.

 

BACK TO SCHOOL

NOT BACK TO VIOLENCE

50,000 too many

There were 27,000 violent incidents in public schools in nova social in the 2022-23 school year. This a 60% increase over the past six years.

At the same rate, the number of violent incidents for the last school year can be estimated at over 30,000.

School support staff tried to sound the alarm and share their data on this issue with the government in 2022. They didn’t engage with us. Two years, and an estimated 50,000 violent incidents later, front line workers are stepping up to demand the government finally take action to end violence in schools.

Join us in demanding the government keep students and staff safe in our public schools!

Read more and sign our petition: cupe.ca/safe-schools

 

Violence in the Workplace

‘We want to share what we know’: Nova Scotia school support staff announce
worker-led report on violence in public schools, campaign

Halifax-Kjipuktuk – School support staff across Nova Scotia have announced the upcoming release of a new report on the issue of violence in public schools, and a campaign to address workplace violence and the safety of staff and students. “With another school year on the horizon, we wanted to show Nova Scotians what we deal with in our workplace—in public schools—every day,” said Nelson Scott, Chair of the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions (NSSBCU). “We want to share what we know with the parents whose kids we work with every day, and the communities we serve.”

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) represents 5,000 school support staff across Nova Scotia. This group of workers has attempted to raise their concerns and share data they have compiled on violence in schools with the office of the Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, as far back as 2022. This follows the release of a report from Nova Scotia Auditor General Kim Adair, this past June. This report, titled “Preventing and Addressing Violence in Nova Scotia Public Schools,”
corroborates the research CUPE has attempted to share with the office of Education & Early Childhood Development. Both reports demonstrate that school support staff deal with the majority of violent incidents and face barriers to reporting, indicating that the true rates of violent incidents is higher than what current data show.

“The provincial government could have, and should have, taken action on this issue two years ago,” said Nan McFadgen, President of CUPE Nova Scotia. “While the Department chose not to engage with front line workers, this issue has grown well past crisis-level. Now workers are
taking matters into their own hands, by reaching out to their communities, to parents and families, to say: let’s work together to end violence in our schools.” School support staff have launched a petition calling for support of worker-led steps to address violence in schools, and larger issues that increase the risk of violent incidents. The petition, and highlights from the report, can be found at: cupe.ca/safe-schools
“This is a workplace safety issue for school support staff, but it is also about keeping children safe and healthy, and about the quality of the public service we provide,” said Scott. “This is about the standard of public education we are willing to accept in Nova Scotia.”
The full report will be available next Thursday, August 15th.

For more information:
Nan McFadgen
President, CUPE Nova Scotia
902-759-3231

Nelson Scott
Chair, NSSBCU
902-574-1380

Haseena Manek
CUPE Atlantic Communications Officer
hmanek@cupe.ca

Carl Crouse is Retiring

President Jennifer Cox and VP Queens County Nancy Grant travelled to Yarmouth on June 14th 2024 to deliver best wishes from CUPE Local 4682 to our longtime CUPE National Rep Carl Crouse. After 17 years, Carl is retiring on June 28th 2024.
The local purchased gifts from both Lunenburg and Queens counties from local artists, preserves and maple syrup. Even the card was personally made by one of our members.
Guests shared stories about Carl and a good time was had by all who attended.
Thank you Carl for everything. You will be missed.

 

 

Wednesday June 12th 2024 – Wear Pink Day

As we head into summer vacation, don’t forget the folks that don’t get a break when the school year is over. From early childhood educators to custodians, from librarians to bus drivers, school support staff keep our schools safe, clean, and running smoothly. That includes evenings, weekends, and the summer months.

Show your support and solidarity for school support staff by wearing pink to school, work or just out running errands—Wednesday, June 12!

Be sure to get a pic or selfie and share them with us by using #NSSBCU and #SchoolsWorkBecauseWeDo.

Don’t want to wear pink – that is ok. Save the support pictures provided and post them on your social media.

 

 

Bargaining Update

Dear Members of Local 4682

On March 23rd 2024 the executive along with Carl Crouse, National Rep, held two meetings to present the proposals to members.

Even though the turnout was not that great, we appreciate and thank those members who took time out of their busy schedules to attend, discuss and vote on the package.

The executive worked extremely hard over a 4 day period on a package that we feel will make improvements to current language and add new language that covers all job classifications.

We thank all those members who sent ideas, suggestions and recommendations for the proposals. We looked over all of them and considered them all.

To keep with the timeline created by CUPE/NSSBCU, the proposal package had to be condensed. The reason behind that is to keep time at the local table as short as possible. There will be language presented at a provincial level in hopes to continue the work of NSSBCU in getting all locals having the same and best language possible. Once that package is completed and available, we will present that to the members.

In Solidarity,
Jennifer Cox       Nancy Grant       Terry Saulnier    Jannette Saunders        Floyd Seymour
Present                 VP Queens         VP Lburg              Recording Secretary     Secretary Treasurer