Halifax Library Workers Await Results of Vote to Boot ‘Broken’ Union
HALIFAX — Halifax’s library workers may not be represented by the Nova Scotia Union of Public and Private Employees (NSUPE) for much longer.
A group of employees disgruntled with NSUPE Local 14 have been making the push for their coworkers to switch to the Services Employees International Union. The SEIU is a North American organization representing nearly two million workers.
The result of this union battle may already be pre-determined. A Local 14 members’ vote on whether to stay with NSUPE or make the switch to SEIU was held in March. The ballots are still sealed, however, and may not be counted until this summer.
That’s because the two unions will have a conference in June with Nova Scotia’s Labour Board to discuss complaints with the process. Representatives for NSUPE and SEIU did not get into specifics about each side’s complaints, other than confirm the matter is still with the Labour Board.
A spokesperson for SEIU declined to be interviewed about why some library workers wanted to leave NSUPE and join them. But he did refer Huddle to the SEIU Local 2 website, which features a page dedicated to the workers’ complaints about NSUPE.
On that page, 13 people who are employed (or were recently employed) in the Halifax library system co-signed a long statement detailing their grievances. This organizing committee pulled no punches, calling NSUPE “broken” and “weak.”
The statement notes that a new contract negotiation is approaching with Halifax Public Libraries and the group has no confidence that NSUPE will be able to strike a deal for better wages and a better workplace.
“For years, if not decades, NSUPE has been diminishing in power, resources, and capacities,” reads the statement.
“Local 14 members deserve better than NSUPE’s offerings of: expired contracts, delayed bargaining timelines, non-existent training resources, ineffective governance, toxic culture of in-fighting, failure to retain staff, its chronic lack of capacity, and overall inconsistency.
“With skyrocketing inflation and the high cost of living in the HRM, Local 14 members need a strong, cohesive, and organized parent-Union that will train and support us in winning wage increases, staffing minimums, and so much more at the bargaining table. Too much is at risk for us to negotiate with a weak and deteriorating parent-Union.”
In an emailed statement to Huddle NSUPE Local 14 President Christina Covert defended the union’s record representing Halifax’s library workers.
“As the NSUPE Local 14 Executive President, I can report that we have been with NSUPE since unionizing and as a part of NSUPE we have gained one of the best Collective Agreements in our sector, and arguably better than many agreements gained by other unions,” stated Covert.
“All unions should feel they can do the best for their members and we do not want to publicly diminish any union. We will stand by our proven record and support the union that helped us get here.”
The SEIU website also describes a conflict involving former NSUPE president Shelby Kennedy that led to her removal. She originally approached SEIU about a possible merger of the two unions, according the SEIU website, and the NSUPE executive council responded by removing Kennedy as president.
“Despite the proposal being brought forward within the parameters of Union constitution, NSUPE’s executive council swiftly removed Shelby in her President position, squashed the merger, and ultimately, robbed us, the general membership, from ever hearing, discussing, or voting on the proposal,” claims the website.
Huddle reached out to Kennedy, who declined to be interviewed.
An NSUPE representative, speaking on condition that they not be named confirmed that Kennedy was removed for seeking a merger with SEIU. But they claim that Kennedy’s actions were contrary to NSUPE’s constitution.
“She was removed because she had gone against the constitution of NSUPE and attempted a merger with SEIU without the knowledge of the executive board,” said the union rep.
“It was a secretive thing done on her part …The executive board was basically blindsided with it. It was like a shotgun approach.”
More to come.
Derek Montague is a Huddle reporter in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].