ADDRESS: NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn’s Address to CUPE NL Members at 51st Convention
- NL NDP
- 6 days ago
- 8 min read
CUPE NL 51st Convention,
May 6, 2025
Grand Falls-Windsor
Thank you, President Sherry Hillier, and CUPE members for inviting me to say a few words at your convention. I’m deeply appreciative not only for your warm welcome but also for the support and advice on privatization and other issues that affect communities.
CUPE members are integral to making our province work efficiently. You work at hospitals and health centres, cities, LTC and nursing homes, cities, towns, schools, childcare centres, group homes, Memorial University support, NLHC, libraries, transition homes, recreation centres and more. CUPE workers are the heart of the province.
There’s no denying that the recent Federal election, was devastating for the NDP, workers, their families, their communities, and the many people struggling to make ends meet.
At last year’s convention, I asked what was one of the most popular salmon flies - the Blue Charm. Even though it may not be any more successful than any other fly. When the time is getting short, and the fish uncooperative an angler is most likely play it safe and go with the Blue Charm.
The same for politics.
Last year, I encouraged people to try a brilliant splash of NDP orange rather than the boring Conservative Blue or Liberal Red.
Well, it seems in the federal election people played it safe and settled for a Conservative blue charm with a Liberal red butt. The NDP orange got tossed. I feel like I just dropped my fly box in the river and I’m watching it being swept away by the current leaving me with only the orange bomber on the end of my leader.
The NDP had great local candidates in all ridings. Mary Shortall was a fantastic candidate for St. John’s East. She exuded energy, had lots of support, and enthusiastic volunteers who believed in her.
Nevertheless, the threat of President Trump, tariffs, and the dislike for Poilievre caused many New Democrats to play it safe and vote strategically. Even more discouraging, many blue-collar workers shifted allegiance to the Conservatives and significantly increased their seat count.
Friends commiserated and offered condolences as if I were at a wake of a loved one. Political commentators spoke of the NDP as if it were dead. Or worse, irrelevant.
Hell no!
As Mark Twain said when he heard that American news stories of his demise: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”
Ironically, the Liberals will need the NDP to pass legislation. With only seven MPs, the loss of official party status, fewer resources, the voice of the federal NDP might seem weakened (and its ability to defend unions and workers and the families and communities who depend on them crippled) but we’re still alive and kicking.
To workers who voted Conservative, I ask do you really think that the Conservatives, simply because they oppose the Liberals and are seeking to form government, will naturally support labour? Like Liberals, Conservatives are good at co-opting the language and ideas of the NDP to sound labour friendly.
Let me ask another question. How many of you have attended a $500 or a $1000 a plate Liberal or Conservative fundraising dinner recently?
No one? Thought so.
Let’s be clear about one thing. Neither Conservatives nor Liberals are friends of workers, the working class, and especially organised labour unless it’s close to an election. Yet we keep voting them in expecting them to act favourably, like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown to kick and promising not to yank it away at the last moment.
Folks, I have no more confidence that the Liberals or Conservatives will do what is needed to look after workers and the people who depend on them than I have that Lucy will actually hold the football for Charlie Brown to kick.
Would you like more examples?
Yesterday, President Sherry referenced the NL Health Accord and Dr. Parfrey. Recently, Dr. Parfrey and NL Health Services got called out by the NDP for attempting to move adult gynecological services into the Janeway Children’s Hospital. In other words, they planned to solve a problem at the Health Sciences Centre on the backs of Children. AND they did so without consulting healthcare professionals who worked at the Janeway or the Health Sciences. So much for respecting workers.
President Sherry also referenced her decision to step away from the NL Education Accord. It’s important to remember that the Education Accord was struck in response to reports of violence in our schools. Yet another task force. It was not about providing solutions and protecting staff and students; it was about deflecting and kicking the issue further down the road.
Dame Moya Green and pensions. As far as Ms. Greene was concerned, public pensions were underfunded, in trouble, and needed to be converted to defined contribution. Having been NLTA President at time we negotiated joint sponsorship, I knew better and was confused as to how she arrived at that conclusion. When I asked her where she got her information, she said it was from the Department of Finance.
Do these examples show concern for workers?
Mark Carney may be the best person to negotiate with President Trump, but when the budget needs balancing, on whose back will it be balanced? When a legal job action threatens to disrupt business friends and profit, whose side will he take? Without the NDP effectively calling government to task, will he really consider the needs of workers and people on modest incomes struggling to make ends meet?
Will he support publicly funded, publicly administered, public services? Or will he find efficiencies, cut costs, and privatize? He’s already indicated he plans to cut the size of the public service.
Folks, I believe that we do well when the people around us do well. We have a duty to look after one another. That’s what Jordan Brown, my colleague, believes. It’s what our caucus believes. This belief lies at the core of the NDP and is the foundation of the union movement. And I know it lies at the heart of CUPE.
We know that the federal NDP under the leadership of Jagmeet Singh forced the federal Liberals to:
Bring in Pharmacare
Dental care plan
Anti-replacement (anti-scab) legislation
None of this would have happened were it not for a strong NDP presence in the House of Commons.
Provincially, the NDP punches above its weight.
For example:
We fought for 10 paid sick days for all workers; government disagreed because they believed in “balance”, which really means tipping the scales in favour of employers.
We continue to press for provincial Anti-Scab legislation, something the Federal NDP helped achieve for federally regulated workplaces. Provincial Liberals refused.
We fought to ban sick notes, something that government really didn’t do and allowed employers to still ask for them. Typical of Liberals when; their actions rarely match their promises.
MHA Brown asked government to bring back card check certification, but the labour minister had no idea what he was talking about.
That was the same day we presented a petition from west coast healthcare workers who had been left out of retention bonuses.
Your provincial NDP continues to fight for workers, whether they are unionized, non-unionized, contract or gig by advocating for a livable minimum wage and other cost of living measures.
We pressed government to review the Labour Relations Board’s delay in counting union certification vote, but the Liberals said the board was operating as it needed to. In other words, waiting 6 to 8 weeks for a union vote count rather than the 5 business days in legislation is acceptable.
We forced government to strike a committee on guaranteed basic income
We continue to demand affordable air travel for Labrador
Forced the provincial Liberals to address unclaimed bodies in freezers by increasing financial support and changing legislation.
Forced government to address the need for affordable housing
Presented a resolution to remove the provincial portion of the HST from all forms of home heating.
Presented petitions calling for the removal of HST from children’s clothing and goods (CUPE Local 1615)
The NDP has done its best to be an ally and defend a future for those unable to afford a $500 a plate dinners.
Jordan Brown and I will continue to hold the provincial government to account to ensure our fellow Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are doing well. That’s why we are members of the NDP and why the NDP and Unions are a natural fit.
If we want better outcomes for the people of our province, then we must make better choices. And since our priorities determine our choices, people must always be government’s top priority.
An economy must be about people. CUPE’s fight for improved working and living conditions for workers and their families, and fairness for workers means better services for the thousands of people who rely on your members.
It’s not all bleak, and there is hope.
We have provincial NDP governments in British Columbia and Manitoba.
The NDP is the official opposition in four provinces.
Last night, the MP for Vancouver Kingsway, Don Davies will be interim leader. He continued the work that Jack Harris started on dental care.
Over 1000 delegates attended a recent NDP convention in Alberta.
The NL NDP is doing well, and we are expected to pick up seats in the next provincial election.
In the recent federal election all local candidates secured significant numbers of votes. The number of volunteers who came out to help Mary Shortall was nothing short of awe inspiring.
We have more people than ever seeking to be candidates for the NDP and are on our way to having a full slate of candidates and a costed platform.
Most importantly, we have the support of CUPE.
Folks, this does not sound like a party on the way out. The NDP is just getting started.
There’s no sugarcoating the challenge, however. We have an uphill battle ahead of us, but we will increase our odds of winning by standing together and running in the next provincial election.
You heard me correctly. Run as an NDP candidate in the next provincial election. As leaders in your union, you’ve already taken the crucial first step. In fact, several of you have already agreed to run. And there’s always room for more.
It’s a big decision, and one you’ll need to make with your family and friends. But, we need your voices in the House of Assembly. You’ll have staff, a cool office, and the opportunity to influence government’s decisions.
Meanwhile, I’m going to keep on casting with my orange bug until my arm is exhausted and people finally realise it’s time to try something other than a tired Liberal red or dull Conservative blue.
As Mark Hancock and Candace Rennick said we need to act boldly and in solidarity.
I’ll end with a quote by A. Philip Randolph, an American labour unionist and civil rights activist who lived from 1889 to 1979. In 1925, he organized and led the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first successful African American-led labor union.
He said, “Nothing counts but pressure, pressure, more pressure, and still more pressure through broad organized aggressive mass action.”
If there’s anything I know about CUPE and the NDP, we are skilled at applying pressure.
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