Executive Committee Elections

Meet the candidates who have announced they are seeking election for the 2025 term

All of the delegates who attend this year’s Triennial Convention will help to determine the NSGEU’s priorities and direction for the next three-year term. But it’s ultimately the responsibility of the NSGEU’s five-person Executive Committee to ensure those priorities and directions are carried out!

The Executive Committee is elected by Convention delegates on the final day of Convention (May 23rd). Any Convention delegate can run for a position, and they may seek nomination up until the end of day on Thursday, May 22nd. So far, six people have announced they are seeking election for the Executive Committee.

Read about each of the candidates below!

Presidential Candidate: Sandra Mullen

Greetings NSGEU Members and Delegates,

It has been my honour to serve as your President the past term. Collectively, we have worked together through some very challenging times. With your hard work, our efforts have made tremendous impacts on the lives of workers throughout the province.

Since our last Convention, I have worked closely with the membership, the Executive, Board and staff, as we navigated our first strike in 14 years, negotiated many contracts that have had positive impacts on the lives of many. We continue to deal with serious safety and workplace concerns, face challenges at the bargaining table knowing the impact one table has on another.

A local 16 member, I have held many roles and recognized local mentorship is a vital responsibility to ensure the ongoing strength of our union. Navigating the path forward and emerging from the pandemic, engaging our membership remains my priority.

The decisions made at the executive table are often made quickly; this requires strong leadership skills, good insight and the ability to multitask. My experiences from my work, union education and volunteering have provided me with those skills. My Union experience includes all the responsibilities and roles of the President,

Occupational Bargaining Council-BUNC
Bargaining committee member for Staff
Executive positions & Board member, 1st VP NSFL,
Harvard Trade Union Program- NUPGE Scholarship.
Director/ National Executive Board, NUPGE & Women’s Advisory Council.
CLC Women’s Committee. United Nations Commission on Status of Women Delegate
NSGEU education,
Board member Nova Scotia Health Coalition
Representative on Child Care Nova Scotia, NUPGE Childcare committee
Delegate to Conventions of NSFL, NUPGE and CLC.
Executive Liaison for NSGEU committees and Councils

Together, I plan to continue building the NSGEU brand, showing Nova Scotians the invaluable work that our members do. We will continue to work with organizations on your behalf as we strive to be good corporate partners with Feed Nova Scotia, United Way, Cancer NS, and forge new and ongoing relationships with our indigenous community. Together, let’s continue to build our reputation as a trusted, diverse, responsible organization so that our members continue to be respected.

I look to you for your expertise and support as we prepare for what lies ahead, we need to work together knowing that globally, we are in uncertain times.

Like many of you, home life is busy. I live in Weymouth with rural NS challenges, I recognize the extra stress that we face, impacts of inflation, housing crisis, and the uncertain impacts from what this tariff war will bring. Preparing for what lies ahead will require a collective effort, recovery and rebuilding will bring many challenges. We depend on our services to ensure the wellbeing of our families and communities. Whether it’s Homecare, healthcare, education or public services, the work that you do matters. As taxpayers, we all have a vested interest in services we provide and work hard at making this the best province to raise our families.

Thanks to my Family, Executive, Board of Directors, members and my local, for their tremendous support during this past term and for allowing me such rewarding opportunities. Thank you for sharing your personal stories and concerns. Your efforts have mentored and inspired me.

Make no mistake, across this country workers’ rights are under attack. Union solidarity is at the forefront of the labour movement, let’s be part of the united front.

Proud to re-offer as your President, I humbly ask for your support, we have much more to do.

As we prepare for Convention 2025, I look forward to hearing your concerns and sharing my ideas. Let’s Rise Together.

In Solidarity,
Sandra Mullen

1st Vice-President Candidate: Hugh Gillis

Welcome, Bienvenue, Pjla’si

I am proud to announce that I will be re-offering for the position of 1st Vice President of NSGEU at our 2025 convention – Rise Together.

It has been my honour to serve as your 1st Vice President in a full-time capacity this past term. Collectively we have much to be proud of and much more work still to do.
Experience:

• National Executive Board Member, National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), second largest union in Canada with 425,000 members.
• Trustee for the Public Service Superannuation Plan. Member of Audit Actuary Risk Committee and Investments Committee.
• Accompany the President regularly when meeting with government officials and employers.
• Local and membership engagement.
• Board strategic plan.
• Media experience.
• Executive liaison – Equity Council, Young Worker Council, Ad Hoc Young Worker Committee, Human Rights Committee, Metro A Regional Council & Cape Breton Regional Council.

Born and raised in rural Cape Breton, I have worked as a Correctional Officer with Department of Justice. I have served as a Steward, Vice President, President of Local 480. In addition, I have co-chaired the Adult Correctional Facilities Occupational Health and Safety Provincial Committee. I have completed many NSGEU workshops including NSGEU Week-Long School and NUPGE Leadership Development Program.

I am a graduate of the NSCC, Truro Campus and Cape Breton University. I was recently invited and sponsored by our National Union to attend the Harvard University Trade Union Program in Boston, Massachusetts.

Proud to represent the NSGEU in the broader labour movement, I am the past Secretary Treasurer of Nova Scotia Federation of Labour (70,000 members). I chaired the Finance Committee and was a member of Human Resources and Bargaining Committee.

NSGEU represents almost 38,000 members, and it is clear we need publicly funded, publicly delivered health care now more than ever. Going forward, we need to be very strategic to mobilize our membership with the appropriate resources and find new solutions to take on anyone who threatens our jobs.

I am proud of the NSGEU Board of Directors’ recent decision for prioritizing Health and Safety this term. We need to strengthen our Occupational Health and Safety Committees, workplace practices and build safer workspaces for all our members.

I was proud to be invited and sponsored by NUPGE to participate in a global conference on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues in Cape Town South Africa in 2024. The rise of hate particularly from south of the border is terrifying. It is incumbent upon all of us to strongly push back. NSGEU must continue to work on equity, diversity, and inclusion in providing safe spaces for all our members.

Child poverty, food security and affordable housing remain key issues in the labour movement. Tackling these acute community issues is of great importance to me. I currently sit as Vice- Chair Board of Directors United Way Cape Breton to help create meaningful dialogue and creative solutions to address these issues.

I would like to thank President Mullen, the Executive, Board of Directors, the membership for investing in me. I have much more to offer and much more to learn.

I look forward to speaking with you leading up to our convention, and I respectfully asked for your support to continue as your 1st Vice President.

In Solidarity,
Hugh Gillis, he/him
(902) 322-3543

1st Vice-President Candidate: Mary Otto

Hello fellow NSGEU members,

I am excited to announce my candidacy for 1st Vice President of NSGEU at our upcoming Triennial Convention in May.

I was lucky 23 years ago when I landed a job at Canadian Blood Services, and with that came the best membership you could ask for—a union card. Over these two decades, I’ve immersed myself in the NSGEU, learning its structure inside and out, from the local level to Regional & Occupational Council, facilitating, serving multiple terms on the Board of Directors, as a VP at the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour and beyond. Along the way, I’ve developed lasting relationships with many in the Labour and Social Justice movements. These experiences have shaped who I am today, and I am committed to helping others in the same way. I want every member to feel they have a voice at the table, to mentor others, and help them grow within the union just as I have. I’m ready to take on this role and ensure the next generation of leaders is prepared.

I am running for 1st Vice President because I believe in the power of unions to protect workers, strengthen communities, and defend democracy. The political landscape is shifting in troubling ways, both south of the border and here at home. We are seeing a rise in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ rhetoric, trying to erase trans folks, attacks on reproductive rights, and the scapegoating of marginalized communities, including refugees, international students, and migrant workers. These harmful trends undermine the rights and dignity of workers, and now, more than ever, we need principled, vocal leadership in the labour movement to push back against these harmful narratives and policies.

I also believe it’s more important than ever that we have strong female and gender-diverse voices at the table in leadership roles, ready to fight back and help reshape and fix broken systems. We need to ensure NSGEU continues to push for equity, inclusion, and meaningful change. I am incredibly proud of the work our union has done in these areas, but there is more to be done. We need to break down barriers and create spaces where all members feel seen, heard, and empowered to take on leadership roles themselves.

Here at home, the Houston government is actively working to erode democratic processes by limiting media scrutiny, curbing debate, and reducing consultation with “special interest groups.” Let’s be clear: we, the workers, are those special interest groups. When governments try to shut us out, it’s because they know our voices are powerful. That’s why we must continue to organize, advocate, and hold governments accountable.

As a union, we are non-partisan, but we cannot afford to be apolitical. Government decisions, regardless of party, directly impact workers’ rights, public services, and our communities. We must be prepared to hold any government accountable when their policies harm workers and undermine the services we all rely on. A strong labour movement is essential to protect democracy, ensure fair workplaces, and fight against privatization and austerity.

The labour movement is strongest when we unite. When we fight back against privatization, austerity, and attacks on public services. When we stand for equity, fairness, and workers’ rights. When we support each other in our workplaces, at the bargaining table, and in the streets. I’m ready to take on this fight as your 1st Vice President, and I hope to earn your support. Please reach out if you’d like to chat or have questions. I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible before and during Convention.

In Solidarity,
Mary Otto

2nd Vice-President Candidate: Nicole Turple

Hello NSGEU Members,

My name is Nicole Turple, and I am excited to announce my intention to offer for the position of 2nd Vice President at the NSGEU “Rise Together” Convention. I want to thank convention delegates for helping shape the upcoming term, including choosing a new executive team to lead us during a time with much uncertainty around the world and close to home. Uncertainty that is a threat to us all, the working class.

For those who don’t know me, I live in a small town called Chaswood (Musquodoboit Valley region of HRM). I am the President of Local 7 (Civil Servant Clerical staff in HRM), and work in Halifax as a Secretary 3 within the Department of Health & Wellness, supporting the Primary, Urgent, & Emergency Care team. Before moving to this role in 2022, I worked as a Wildlife Park Attendant in Shubenacadie (Local 3) since 2015.

My union involvement started in 2017, and it has been a whirlwind ever since. I have learned about the labour movement and why we need more activists within the province, and across the country. Over these 8 years I have had the honour of serving in many roles, such as Board of Directors Representative, Education Facilitator, VP of Young Workers on the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour (NSFL), NSGEU Ad-Hoc (plus NSFL) Young Worker Committee Chairperson, Civil Service UNC member (Bargaining), Steward, Secretary, Chief Steward, Regional Councillor & Chairperson, and Occupational Councillor. I also had the opportunity to attend our national union’s (NUPGE) Young Worker Conference + leadership school, and represented NSGEU/NUPGE at the International Duke of Edinburgh Commonwealth Study Conference which was for emerging leaders across various sectors.

I am passionate about standing up for our members, our communities, and our sister unions. Perhaps I have met you at a rally or picket line while battling against the threat of privatization in healthcare, while highlighting that our Corrections members are the lowest paid across Canada, supporting anti-scab legislation, supporting postal workers with CUPW, walking the line with our PSAC union siblings, supporting Pete’s Frootique staff of SEIU with their fight for a first contract, or standing up against scab-labour with UNIFOR Autoport workers. Perhaps I met you at one of the Pride Parades across the province, at the NSGEU Oakfield Picnic, at the NSGEU Riverbreeze Cornmaze event, while facilitating an education course, or while you were attending the Young Worker Conference or Open House. If after all the above I still haven’t met you yet, I hope that my drive and passion to support you and your fellow members, in whatever capacity you need, is evident.

This next term will present many challenges to our members and to our province. With the economic uncertainty of international tariffs, the intimate partner violence epidemic, the increase in hate speech, the healthcare and housing crisis, the increase of violence in the workplace, and the increased privatization of public services, it is crucial that the NSGEU have a strong leadership team. Now, more than ever, the NSGEU needs to be the leaders of the labour movement, diversity-equity-inclusion, social justice, and overall must defend the working class. It is my mission to be a voice to all members and to help recruit more young workers into active roles with the NSGEU. I commit to being open to hearing from every member, and every Local. Communication is key in becoming a voice for all members, and I hope that I can be your voice as NSGEU 2nd Vice President. Because together we are united, and united we are stronger.

In solidarity,
Nicole Turple

2nd Vice-President Candidate: Tammy Gillis

I am Tammy Gillis, and I am your NSGEU 2nd Vice President. I would like to tell you a bit about myself and why I want to continue in this role.

Yesterday afternoon, an acquaintance that I met through community volunteering put a post on her Facebook asking that voters not turn their backs on Pierre Poilievre in the upcoming election because of his vote against funding a national school lunch program. She said that as a woman who chose not to have children, she doesn’t think her tax dollars should be used to feed children when that is the job of parents. Now, I knew she was a supporter of the Progressive Conservative Party, but I thought she was more progressive than conservative: I guess I was wrong. But, I get that; she works in the private sector in injury and insurance law, so she doesn’t believe in the one for all and all for one notion where resources are shared. But she needs to remember that hungry children cannot learn and succeed and will not go on to become doctors or nurses, police officers or even lawyers—all professions we really need in our society.

Today, as I went into a local business, I made eye contact with a gentleman standing off to the side of the entrance, holding a sign that said “Hungry, anything helps”. I said hello to him, as I saw others avoid him, and made a note to get some cashback when I paid for my purchases. On the way out, I handed him some money and he smiled and thanked me. It did not hurt a bit to be kind to this gentleman. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to go to school and get a university degree that enabled me to get a job that pays a decent wage. I wished as I walked away that I could give him enough to eat for the next month, or even the next week, but that’s not in my budget. But I know that if enough people like me give him a few dollars, he could eat for a while.

It is that kind of collective effort, where many pull together to accomplish something that no one person could, that drew me to become involved with our union. The pooling of our resources and efforts to achieve something great, many hands make light work—those are ideals I hold dear.

In my workplace, as a Family Court Officer and the Small Claims Court Officer, I am able to help people every day. Many of these folks are not exactly having their best day: they may be getting evicted from a rental they couldn’t afford but had to take or be homeless, they may not have seen their young children for months. In every interaction I seek to find ways to try to put something positive into their really awful day.

It is for that reason that I got involved with my union at my first meeting back in 2009. I knew that as a group, we can do great things, but even as an individual, we can always try to find a way to make someone’s day a little better.

It has been my absolute privilege to help members that I met in local, council and committee meetings, in local officer training and at NSGEU events, and I would love to have your support to find more ways to keep doing that for NSGEU’s members.

In Solidarity,
Tammy Gillis

Secretary Treasurer Candidate: Darren McPhee

NSGEU Members,

It has been a privilege to represent you as NSGEU Secretary Treasurer for my 9th term. I convey my intention to re-offer for the position of your Secretary/Treasurer for the 2025-2028 term. I welcome the opportunity to represent you again with the same energy and pride I have felt since 2003.

This past term, I felt confident with NSGEU’s strong financial position that at NSGEU could finance all necessary campaigns, job actions and challenges we faced. We will continue to enhance this strength and healthy financial position as it is this continued stability that ensures NSGEU will always have the resources to fight any threats that would erode our members rights in the years ahead.

I am fair, honest and approachable and believe all financial matters are sensitive and important issues. I have used these beliefs over the past 22 years to guide recommendations that strengthen our Union as your Secretary Treasurer. I have consistently demonstrated my abilities as both a leader and team member within the NSGEU Executive Board and all roles held in NSGEU. As well as being your Chief Financial Officer, I am also proud of leading many previous initiatives over the years on your behalf such as;

• Several terms Leading NSGEU’s Strategic Planning with the Board of Directors.
• Project Managing the NSGEU Building from inception to move in Aug 2013. This Building continues to provide the location for continued activism for members to conduct business for NSGEU.

I would like to thank my family – Allana, Lachlan and Kieran once again for their continued support and understanding while I worked on your behalf within the Trade Union movement. It is this support which has allowed me to continue with confidence to fulfill my obligations to you. I would like to thank the NSGEU membership, Executive, Board of Directors, and the staff for their support and guidance this term as we faced many new challenges. It is with pride and satisfaction I say:

We will Continue together through this next term, as Proud members of NSGEU, United in Solidarity, Building A Better Future for Our Members!!!

It has been amazing to complete another successful term together with you building one of the Strongest Union voices in Atlantic Canada. It is with a continued passion and pride representing you, I ask for your support in offering once again for the position of NSGEU Secretary Treasurer.

Thank You,
In Solidarity,
Darren McPhee