Temporary national representative assignments

Temporary national representative assignments

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is expanding its list of qualified candidates for short and long‑term temporary national representative assignments that may also lead to future permanent positions. Opportunities may arise at one of CUPE’s numerous offices across the country.

We are also seeking bilingual candidates with strong verbal and written communication skills in both official languages to meet our staffing needs.

• Previous experience within the labour movement and a local union, and general knowledge of labour legislation.
• The ability to assist CUPE locals and their executive effectively in many aspects of their mission.
• Experience with collective agreements, negotiation, collective bargaining, and the grievance and arbitration process.
• Strong analytical, communication and problem‑solving skills.
• The ability to support local executives, in order for them to have sound union administration under CUPE policies, to prepare for bargaining, to negotiate collective agreements, to enforce contract language, to prepare for strikes, to have adequate internal communications, to participate in political action, and more.
• The ability to work autonomously and have a high degree of flexibility.
• The ability to work with others and manage conflict.
• The ability to participate in campaigns led by CUPE, the local labour council, or allies.
• An understanding of CUPE’s structure, policies and objectives.
• The ability to work closely with other CUPE staff, such as researchers, communications representatives, education representatives, lawyers, and more.
• The ability to speak and write at an above‑average level in English, and satisfactory ease with MS Office Suite and other applications and software.

Candidates should already have many years of experience in the labour movement, specifically in a local union (as an executive member, a steward or other similar experience). Candidates should be a community college graduate in a relevant field or have an equivalent combination of education and experience. They should also possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Salary range: starting at $ per year.

CUPE is committed to fostering a representative workplace and a culture grounded in respect, diversity and inclusiveness at all levels of our organization to ensure that our workforce reflects the diverse CUPE membership and the diverse communities in which we live and serve. CUPE encourages applications from qualified members of equity‑deserving groups, including women, Black and racialized people, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and 2

SLGBTQI+ people. We will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates on any protected human rights grounds at any stage of the selection or recruitment process. Please inform us if you require accommodations by contacting us at  (All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. However, CUPE members and existing CUPE staff will be given priority.)

Accommodations are available at any stage of the hiring process. If you require support, please contact the Human Resources Department at