President's Notebook: A Tough Year for Labour Unions

As all but one (CBS) of NSNU’s collective agreements  approach their expiration date, I find myself reflecting on the difficulties that lead up to those protracted talks and the eventual 2023 ratification of the  agreements.  

These contracts expired October 31, 2020. In large part, COVID 19 prevented bargaining teams from meeting face-to-face, delaying negotiations but also shining a megawatt spotlight on the difficulties and risks of nursing. And while the nursing profession is an  undeniably valuable workforce, breaking current  hardline patterns, averting employer pushback, and containing employee reaction may prove challenging.

The CBC recently reported, “2025 has been a tough year for Canadian unions due to factors like high inflation and cost-of-living increases, a surge in labour disruptions, government intervention in strikes, declining union membership over the long term, and growing pressure on workers to pay for economic hardship.”

From late 2024 and well into 2025, Canada Post employees were on and off the picket lines. Many CUPW employees have experienced a tumultuous year, and uncertain employment status. On September 18, 2025, Canada Post announced it would present new offers to CUPW in response to the union’s August offers, with plans to return to the table. In contrast, CUPW’s bargaining team agreed to defer negotiations with Canada Post until 2026, seeking a retroactive wage increase for its members in the interim.

This past summer, Air Canada flight attendants grounded flights while making a strong case for improved wages. The Air Canada Component of CUPE issued a 72-hour strike notice to Air Canada after the airline refused to recognize that flight attendants should be paid for all their time on the job, not just their time in the air. Air Canada responded by issuing a 72-hour lockout. CUPE defied the federal government’s back-to-work order, saying it would risk jail time and fines.

Statistically, there’s been more labour unrest in Canada since the pandemic. Statistics Canada also reports that in 2023, the most recent year statistics are publicly available, the number of days not worked because of labour disputes jumped to 6.6 million — the highest level since 1986.

The rise in government intervention and unfair employer tactics is also disconcerting. Back to work orders, replacement employees, imposed contracts, and mandated binding arbitration to settle disputes are becoming all too common.

In Nova Scotia, workers have faced tough times at some of this province’s high-profile institutions – Healthcare Support Workers, Dalhousie University, Canada Post, Air Canada – just to name a few. Talks have stalled at St. Mary’s University, while Doctors NS, the NSTU and others are readying for the bargaining table.

South of our border, things continue to go from bad to worse. Recent years have shown a significant rise in  nursing strikes, with more and more nurses calling on their unions to fight for better pay and safer working conditions for both patients and staff. NSNU members recently elected representatives to their respective provincial negotiating committees – acute care, long term care and community care. These individuals will be your voice and your conviction at those tables. They know the struggles and obstacles you face, and they’re prepared to fight the good fight on your behalf.

The big picture appears bleak but rest assured that there are hundreds of years of nursing experience and labour “know how” on your PNCs. Our determination and commitment to the cause will undoubtably serve you well as we prepare for the November 18th bargaining conference and subsequent negotiations.