CUPE NL members gather for convention focused on health, fairness, stronger public services

ST. JOHN’S, NL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Delegates from across Newfoundland and Labrador will gather this week for the Canadian Union of Public Employees Newfoundland and Labrador (CUPE NL) Division Convention, bringing together workers from across sectors to set priorities for the year ahead and strengthen the collective voice of public service workers in the province.

This year’s convention is being held during the “Year of Health and Safety,” with a strong focus on protecting workers on the job and ensuring that safe workplaces are treated as a fundamental right—not an afterthought.

Delegates will also take up key issues facing workers and communities across Newfoundland and Labrador, including:

• Strengthening public healthcare, with an urgent focus on recruitment and retention challenges that continue to strain the system and the workers who sustain it
• Advancing workers’ rights and fair wages, as the cost of living rises and workers demand respect at the bargaining table
• Promoting equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, to ensure that workplaces reflect the dignity and diversity of the communities they serve
• Building stronger communities through public services, recognizing that well-funded, accessible public services are essential to the province’s social and economic well-being

“Workers across this province are showing up every day in increasingly difficult conditions—and they’re doing it because they care about the people and communities they serve,” said Sherry Hillier, President of CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador. “This convention is about turning that commitment into action—setting clear priorities and building the strength we need to win safer workplaces, fair wages, and the public services our communities depend on.”

The convention will feature policy debates, workshops, and guest speakers, as well as opportunities for members to share their experiences from the front lines of public service work.

“At a time when public services are under pressure, this convention is about more than internal business—it’s about sending a clear message,” said Hillier. “Investing in workers is investing in communities. You can’t have strong public services without the people who deliver them.”

The CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador Division represents more than 6000 workers across the province in healthcare, education, municipalities, social services, and more.

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