CUPE 3906

As workers and activists, we need to understand that not all disabilities are immediately noticeable – from mental illness to learning differences, diabetes, chronic pain, cognitive dysfunction and much more.  People who have long COVID may experience symptoms that are invisible and can face complex challenges if they become disabled. CUPE strongly supports the struggle of disability justice and disability rights movements.

There are wide range of disabilities including sensory, intellectual, physical or mobility, mental health or psychiatric, neurodiversity and more. For persons with disabilities who have intersecting identities, such as women, Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQI+ people, the impacts are even worse. We encourage all union leaders to take action to advance disability rights in our workplaces.

Disability justice is a union issue. Advocating for solidarity with workers with disabilities and for cross-disability solidarity is crucial to an equitable workplace. Dismantling ableism and achieving disability justice makes life better for all workers.

Take action

• Use December 3 to educate and advocate for disability justice at work, in your local and in your community.
• Bargain for measures that support disability rights in your collective agreement, including employment equity, duty to accommodate, short and long-term disability coverage and language on mental health, HIV/AIDS and episodic disabilities.
• Use the Canadian Labour Congress guide “Doing Things Differently: A Disability Rights At Work Handbook.”
• Support calls for a Canada Disability Benefit that truly lifts people with disabilities out of poverty.
• Keep an eye out for new resources for CUPE’s national campaign to raise awareness on the diversity of identities, abilities, and challenges faced by persons with disabilities.

WHAT: Postdoctoral Fellow (Unit 3) End-of-Term lunch!

WHO: CUPE 3906 Unit 3 (Postdoctoral Fellow) Members

WHEN: Friday, December 12, 2025, 12:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.

WHERE: The Phoenix Restaurant (Old Refectory Building)

Reserve your seat! Please RSVP by December 8th by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/8TQTgsct55TVsiwy8

Meet your Unit 3 colleagues and your union reps! Have some fun! Enjoy a free lunch!

Questions? Please contact Bita, our Lead Steward Unit 3, at leadsteward_postdocs@cupe3906.org.

Click here to sign & share the petition online now

There are more than 5000 signatures now on this petition to the federal government, demanding that they enforce the Canada Health Act in Ontario where the Ford government is violating it with their private clinics. In the for-profit clinics, elderly patients are routinely charged thousands of dollars when they go in for cataract surgeries. The Canada Health Act bans user fees and extra-billing, but it only works if we demand that the federal government enforces it so that provinces that violate the bans are shamed into coming back into compliance.

How to make sure your signature is counted:
Please click here and fill out the petition (** NOTE: phone numbers must be entered without spaces, brackets, or area codes).

Join the Nigerian Canadian Association, Hamilton for a spectacular night of culture, community, and celebration as we mark 25 incredible years of service, growth, and unity!  This is the most anticipated night of the year — where culture meets class, and community meets celebration!

At our last General Membership Meeting, your local voted to purchase a table at this event and we have a few tickets remaining. If you are interested, please contact international@cupe3906.org

The event takes place December 6th from 5:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. EST at the Grand Olympia in Stoney Creek

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/2025-ncah-end-of-year-gala

The “Sessional Faculty Notes” are a useful document that provides general information (parking, classroom malfunctions, etc.), academic information (student appeals processes, academic regulations, etc.), and information about student and teaching support services (Avenue to Learn, Instructional Resources, etc).

Click here to access the most recent version of Sessional Faculty Notes..

Your Unit 2 (Sessional) bargaining team was able to secure funding to launch a gender affirmation and reproductive health fund for members to access. Criteria and eligibility, which is similar to the Unit 1 and Unit 3 funds, can be found here: https://cupe3906.org/sessionals-unit-2/u2garhf/ 

Under the fund, Unit 2 Members may now claim up to $800 per academic year (i.e., September 1-August 31) in gender affirming care OR reproductive health care OR some combination of the two (e.g., $400 in gender affirming care and $400 in reproductive health).

Following our November General Membership Meeting, CUPE 3906 and its membership stand firmly opposed to Bill 33.

Bill 33 presents a direct attack on democracy, academic freedom, and the autonomy of Ontario’s public school boards and post-secondary institutions, opening the door to increased privatization and corporatization.

As a union representing over 3,000 university workers, many of whom are also students, CUPE 3906 firmly rejects any and all attacks on education. We call on the Ontario Government to repeal this harmful bill.