A Message from the President

This article appears in the post-convention issue of the Union Stand.

This is the first issue of the STAND since NSGEU Convention 2025. I want to welcome back the re-elected executive, Hugh Gillis (1st VP), Tammy Gillis (2nd VP), Peter Perry (3rd VP), and Darren McPhee as Secretary Treasurer. I look forward to working with all the executive and full board during this new term.

I am also grateful to be returned as union President. It is a position that holds great responsibility. I am humbled to represent over thirty eight-thousand members and being accountable to all members is something I take very seriously.
Thank you to all the delegates who entrusted me with the privilege of serving all members with a second term.

I also want to thank all members who put their names forward and ran for a seat on the union’s executive committee. The strength of our union is built on the commitment and dedication of our members.

As we move on from Convention 2025, NSGEU locals began the process of holding their own Triennial meetings to elect their own local executives and committee positions. Our locals form the foundation of our union, and I want to acknowledge and thank all those individuals who put their names forward to serve their local members.

Convention 2025 included over 370 delegates, and many were in attendance for the first time. This is another positive development for the future of our union.

Believe it or not planning for Convention 2028 is already underway!

As you will see from the articles contained in this issue of the STAND a lot has happened since the end of Convention 2025. Civil Service Bargaining reached an impasse and will move to binding arbitration in October. The Houston government is gathering public opinion on where alcohol can be sold sale and consumed in the province. This has serious implications to our members working for the NSLC and will have additional impacts for those working in law enforcement and health care.

The Nova Scotia Community College was the first post-secondary institution to address their financial deficits by attacking working people. The NSCC contracted out all food services for their campuses to a private American company eliminating twenty-seven good jobs. Some of these members were close to retirement and all have lost their health benefits.

This Premier seems intent on attacking public servants. The Premier can now fire people without just cause and in this round of civil service bargaining he is trying to eliminate job security protections for unionized workers. He is also offering a lower wage package then other collective agreements were given.

Privatization and contracting out was a topic of discussion at Convention and this will a major focus of our work as a public sector union going forward. The union takes this threat seriously and will continue to advocate and be proactive in protecting the rights of our members.

In solidarity,

Sandra Mullen

NSGEU President