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NSNU encourages members, old and new, to attend Eastern Labour School from May 31 - June 2 at UNB in Fredericton.
Eastern Labour School is a biennial educational event hosted by NSNU, NBNU, PEINU, RNUNL on a rotational basis. Nurses from all four provincial unions come together for two days of education sessions related to various labour/union topics.
Eligibility to Attend
NSNU sponsors one member per local to attend Eastern Labour School – that includes travel, accommodations, and salary replacement. Locals merged since 1980 retain their original Union paid seat for Labour School. When completing the salary replacement forms found online at nsnu.ca/resources/forms-guides, hourly rate and actual number of hours worked in a shift must be provided. The proper hourly rates are referred to in Appendix "A" of the Collective Agreement(s). Failure to accurately complete the forms will delay the processing of reimbursement cheques.
Locals can register additional participants at their own expense, as can individuals. The NSNU will invoice the Local or individual after registration closes on April 27 with payment due by May 11. Spaces are limited and registration does not guarantee participation.
Glenna Rowsell Memorial Book Award
“Glenna had a strong commitment to improving the socio-economic welfare of her fellow nurses and to this end; she gave of herself untiringly throughout her career.”
The Glenna Rowsell Memorial Book Award for leadership is presented during Eastern Labour School (ELS) to an outspoken union activist who emulates Glenna’s dedication, pioneering spirit, and work ethic.
Today, nurses enjoy a much-improved economic life due in part to Glenna’s commitment to the labour movement. Glenna’s cross-country endeavors to help provincial nursing associations organize for the purpose of collective bargaining are well documented.
Glenna’s commitment to the welfare of nurses was not confined to Canada. She was involved both with the International Labour Organization and the International Council of Nurses.
While working in New Brunswick, she, along with her nurse-union counterparts in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador, developed the first Nurses ELS which was held in Nova Scotia in 1976. She participated in the Labour School as a coordinator or as an instructor of the General Labour Relations course from the origin of ELS until her death in the fall of 1987.
In September 1988, the National Executive Board of the CFNU paid tribute to Glenna’s sizeable contribution to nursing unionism through the creation of an annual book award to a participant of the CFNU Eastern and Western Labour Schools. All ELS participants are eligible to apply for the award. The expression of interest form can be found below. If you have been active in the NSNU, please complete the form so your contributions can be recognized at Eastern Labour School.
Deadline to apply: May 22
Eastern Labour School Courses
Members who are participating for the first time will select one of the foundation courses (which includes a French option), while those returning to ELS can choose from a selection of other courses. The host province will do their best to accommodate your course preferences as ranked on your form.
When courses are finalized by the host province, the details, and your course selection form, will be available here.
Draws
The NSNU sponsors five 35-and-Under and five First-Time Attendees to attend ELS, selected via random draw. This draw is open to all eligible NSNU members to apply – you do not have to apply through your Local Executive.
Draw entries must be submitted by Tuesday, March 31.
Scholarships
The NSNU offers two scholarships to support members attending ELS. To learn more about the Glenna Rowsell Memorial Scholarship and the Winnifred Kettleson General Labour Relations Scholarship, and to apply, please visit the link below.
Applications for the Winnifred Kettleson General Labour Relations Scholarship must be submitted by Firday, March 13.
Applications for the Glenna Rowsell Memorial Scholarship must be submitted by Tuesday, March 31.
Registration
Registration for ELS 2026 will be open April 6. All members attending ELS 2026, including draw and scholarship winners, must fill out a registration form by the April 27 deadline.
The fee to attend ELS wass $475. (We are unsure if that fee will remain the same for 2026 - once confirmed with NBNU, we will update this page.) This fee covers the cost of provided meals, the reception, social events, shared accommodations on the UNB campus, and course instruction. This fee is applicable to all members who are not sponsored by the Provincial Union. At the conclusion of the event provincial sponsored members can submit forms for salary replacement and mileage. The provincial union will only provide meal reimbursement on travel days as all other meals are covered during the event.
