A union is YOU and your CO-WORKERS coming together to improve your working conditions. As a union you have a legally recognized voice that your employer cannot ignore. Together with your co-workers you will decide what’s important and what about your job needs to change for the better.
When you join CUPE you get:
Higher wages: Across the country, child care workers who are CUPE members earn higher wages than their non-unionized counterparts. In Nova Scotia, CUPE is fighting to improve the provincial compensation framework. It should apply to all workers in a centre and the wages in the pay scale need to be higher for everyone.
More benefits: Child care workers who are CUPE members in Nova Scotia have paid sick days, time off for education and training, and time and a half pay for overtime. Many also have paid personal days and paid family and marriage leave. CUPE also advocates for better pensions for all workers.
Better working conditions: Union members stay at their jobs longer because their working conditions are better. CUPE child care workers have negotiated and advocated for longer and more frequent breaks, more comfortable rest areas, paid programming time and better working hours. Greater retention means they can develop stronger relationships with the children and families they serve and their co-workers.
A voice at the table: To make Nova Scotia’s child care system work, the province needs to hear directly from workers in the system. When you join CUPE you have a voice at the table to push for improvements to the whole system. CUPE is already a leader in child care campaigns, working in coalition with many advocacy groups. CUPE ensures that child care workers’ voices are heard by employers and decision makers and will continue to highlight the critical work they do.
Access to events and education: CUPE holds conferences, conventions and workshops throughout the year. When you join CUPE you get access to paid time off to engage in union activities. This includes events across the country and in your community where union members gather to plan, learn, network, and organize.
Thousands of child care workers like you are members of CUPE. That means more knowledge, support and power to shape the future of work in the sector.