Newfoundland and Labrador

Union members visit MP Seamus O’Regan’s Office and refuse to leave until demands are met

On March 21, 1960, sixty-nine people were killed and 180 were wounded after police opened fire at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid “pass laws.” A few years later in 1966, March 21st was proclaimed the “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination” by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN).

Our hearts break today in learning of the horrifying murders in New Zealand.  On behalf of PSAC members in the Atlantic Region, I would like to extend our solidarity to Muslim communities everywhere, especially in Christchurch.  But our rage also grows today and so does our determination to confront, call out, dismantle and disempower white supremacy.  Unions everywhere must be leaders in this urgent fight.  We encourage members to attend vigils in your communities and to offer support where you can. 

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The highly-anticipated 2019 Federal Budget will be announced on March 19, and union members will gather in St. John’s to watch it and discuss what it means for the labour movement.

ST. JOHN’S, NL – Members of the Lecturers’ Union of Memorial University have ratified a new collective agreement after a prolonged round of bargaining which began in April 2017.  LUMUN represents two bargaining units consisting of roughly 330 per-course instructors – academic workers who teach up to two courses per semester both in-class and by distance - and 95 postdoctoral fellows.   

The St. John’s Regional Women’s Committee hosted another successful IWD luncheon with 221 attendees.

This International Women’s Day, workers and women are calling on all federal political parties to commit to a plan for affordable, high-quality child care ahead of the federal election. It has been nearly 50 years since the report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women called for a universal child care program to help achieve economic equality for women. In 2019, women and workers need every party to be a #ChildCareChampion Tell all party leaders that we need a #ChildCareChampion! 

The Atlantic Region of the Public Service Alliance of Canada is pleased to offer Unions Work for Women: A PSAC course for active women members. This advanced course is intended for a diverse group of women participants – women from all equity seeking groups, from different geographic or rural/urban areas, from different employer groups and PSAC structures, who are active in their union, or in their community, or on specific issues that matter to them, who are young workers and who are not.

Sisters, Brothers and Friends, Please find below tentative dates for our regional conferences. Let me tell you that it was an almost impossible task to select dates that weren’t going to create a conflict with other events within PSAC and its Components and DCLs. In addition to that, I also had to consult Erin Sirett, Regional Coordinator, to discuss the staffing aspect of these conferences.