Erica Fischer

@ericafd.bsky.social

707 Followers 589 Following

Academic union activist in NS 🌊 | immigrant and precarious worker | PT Faculty | puma, gator y husky

Graph showing stipends for contract academic staff (PT Faculty) at 12 universities in Atlantic Canada in 2024. Dalhousie, MSVU and SMU were among the lowest paid in the region.
Halloween bags with homemade cookies inside a tray on a table. The purple bags are gluten free and the others are lactose free.
The CUPE 3912 President addressing delegates to the NS Federation of Labour at a rally at the Peace and Friendship Park in Halifax, NS.
CUPE 3912 members wearing hot pink caps, t-shirts, and CUPE flags. Sign says “SMU stopped 311 classes”
CAUT Defence Fund flying and driving pickets standing in solidarity with CUPE 3912 members at SMU’s first strike ever. Saint Mary’s University’s front entrance in the background.
Image of the quote from a CTV News https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/saint-marys-university-part-time-faculty-go-on-strike-after-final-conciliation-meeting/
Poster with the cupe logo and text that says: We could be on strike or lockout on October 23. How can you support us? Share your support for our action on social media, sign our open letter [arrow to QR code and bit.ly link], join us on the picket lines."
Poster with the following text: “Help us avoid a STRIKE! Anyone can support SMU PT Faculty! Sign our open letter” QR code to letter campaign and CUPE 3912 logo
Hot pink baseball caps with the CUPE 3912 logo
Dalhousie CUPE 3912 rally in the Henry Hicks Quad at 1:30pm on Friday October 3rd. This will be an opportunity to show your support, hear a debrief on Thursday’s conciliation session, meet the strike committee team, and ask questions! This is open to everyone - students, faculty, and the public! Please bring friends and wear your CUPE pink shirt if you have one! [Photo of one of the DFA's rallies and a photo of CUPE 3912 members wearing pink t-shirts)
The Dalhousie BOG has been refusing to negotiate with CUPE 3912.
Video: The fall semester at Dalhousie University is still at risk
Photo of Saint Mary’s front entrance that includes a text box with their continuing commitment
Text: Help us avert a strike! Speech bubble says: I’m not a SMU PT Faculty or a TA, I can’t really help. Fact: Anyone can support SMU PT Faculty and TAs. QR code to a letter campaign: https://win.newmode.net/canadianassociationofuniversityteachers/istandwithparttimefacultyandtasatsaintmarysuniversity
Do Part-Time Faculty deserve job security? SMU says "This will never happen." Tell SMU we need a fair deal now! QR code to a letter campaign: https://win.newmode.net/canadianassociationofuniversityteachers/istandwithparttimefacultyandtasatsaintmarysuniversity CUPE 3912 logo
We are recruiting members for the SMUstrike committee. What to expect: Assist in planning, organizing, and coordinating strike-related activities if required. Help manage logistics, including picket schedules, signage, and materials. Provide updates and information to members regarding strike protocols. STRIKE PAY $350 per week (non taxable income) Full training will be provided for all Strike Committee members to ensure you feel confident and prepared to take on these roles if required. If you are Part-Time Faculty or a TA at SMU, contact us at vp.smu@cupe3912.ca or vp.smu.ta@cupe3912.ca for more information or to sign up!
SMU PT Faculty and TA Information Sessions. We will discuss: strike logistics and pay information, sign forms to get strike pay, how to get involved, any other questions will get answered. Happening on Sept 15 @ 11am - 1pm: Loyola near Tim Horton's line Sept 16 @ 8:30am - 1pm: SMUSA Vendor Table Sept 16 @ 2:00pm - 4pm: ONLINE (rsvp vp.smu@cupe3912.ca) Sept 17 @ 12pm - 5pm: SMUSA Vendor Table Sept 18 @ 3pm - 5pm: Loyola near Tim Horton's line Sept 19 @ 10am - 12pm (noon): ONLINE #SMUstrike
Flyer on a post announcing a public meeting organized by Save Dartmouth Cove at the Micmac Aquatic Club, 192 Prince Albert Road to hear the latest on the infill proposal and the bylaw recommendations, and to send a clear message: Dartmouth Cove deserves the same protections as the Northwest Arm.
Lots of DFA members and supporters outside the Killam library
People outside the Killam library holding a large white banner full of signatures supporting the DFA that says in big green letters: Solidarity
People marching on Labour Day carrying Union flags and signs
CUPE 3912 members at a rally to support the DFA (Dalhousie Faculty Association.) Two of them are wearing white baseball caps that say DFA #KeepDalStrong and the other two wearing pink CUPE 3912 t-shirts and carrrying the CUPE 3912 flag
Pink poster with a photo of CUPE local 3912 members wearing hot pink t-shirts and CUPE flags in front of the Killam building, that reads: “We stand with the Dalhousie Faculty Association s Dalhousie University has locked them out starting Wednesday, August 20. It is abhorrent this has happened as DFA members were in the process of voting to ratify the proposed Collective Agreement! This is a first for a U15 University in Canada and we recognize this sets a dangerous precedent. We know just how vital the work of professors, instructors, librarians and professional counsellors is for ensuring Dalhousie runs. We emphatically support the DFA strike action and joined their rally on Friday, August 22. We commend the bravery and unity of DFA members and executives who have chosen to join your picket lines. We stand with the DFA and will join their picket lines.“
DFA member with a sign that says “Dal is People not Buildings” at a picket line and CUPE 3912 President bringing cow bells to support them
Yellow poster that says: “Students support the DFA” “Solidarity with locked out faculty”
Join us for a fun and relaxing afternoon at the MSVU CUPE Pride BBQ Come out, connect with fellow members. Enjoy good food, great company and summer vibes. All CUPE 3912 members welcome! July, 24. 12:00 PM Rosaria Dining Hall We look forward to seeing you there!
Blue poster with a graph comparing what Part-Time Faculty at the top 10 undergraduate universities in Canada earned in 2024-2025 for teaching a 3-credit course and a tiny yellow line showing the %1 increase the Board of Governors at Saint Mary’s University is offering. The pink note reads: SMU is ranked as the 3rd best university, but it’s PT Faculty are among the lowest paid in the country. In big letters: Highly ranked, badly paid. It’s time to #MakeItFair. In pink and white the logo of CUPE 3912.
CUPE 3912 members at the pride parade holding a pink banner that reads #MakeItFair for precarious academic workers
CUPE staff and members of Local 3912 holding their fist up and posters. One of then reads: Nova Scotia, is time for higher wages for precarious workers in higher education at Dalhousie, SMU, MSVU and NSCAD. The other one has a graph showing their salaries are and have been for 10 below the rate of inflation
Halifax Examiner ad inside Halifax transit bus 🚌
Halifax Examiner ad inside a bus
Bus ad of the Halifax Examiner
Halifax Examiner ad inside a bus
Times on different modes of transportation from my home to work: 🚗 22 min, 🚌 55 min, 🚲 37 min.
Road with no sidewalk
Nova Scotia is 55,284 sq km It's the second-smallest and the second-most densely populated province in Canada. This is your backyard. Map of Nova Scotia with the uranium exploration sites, East Dalhousie, Millet Brook, and Louisville, marked with dots. Province of Nova Scotia, “Request for Proposals for Uranium Mineral Exploration in Millet Brook” 14 May 2025
Two speech bubbles on a black background: “Nova Scotia Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton has confirmed that he could step over property owners to let companies hunt for uranium.” “Rushton said he did not order compensation, as he has the authority to do, and Continental Lithium would not say if they are compensating the landowners.” Taryn Grant, CBC, 29 May 2025 Taryn Grant, CBC, 7 Feb 2025
A speech bubble on a black background with the text: "[Seventy] per cent of our province is privately owned. So if the province wants to do more mineral exploration, that means that a good portion of that could be on private [lands] from one end of the province to the other" -Patricia Amero, general manager of Western Woodlot Services Cooperative Taryn Grant, CBC, 7 Feb 2025
A speech bubble says "Did you know?" In Nova Scotia, land ownership does not include rights to the minerals beneath the surface. A mining company isn’t required to provide compensation to access or use your land. Frances Willick, CBC, 26 May 2025 Taryn Grant, CBC, 7 Feb 2025
5 delegates in front of the Big Fiddle in Sydney NS
CUPE 3912 delegates with CUPE Nova Scotia flags in front of the city hall building
Purple pamphlet to vote for Christine for CUPE NS President and her photo
Email from Jeff Hennessy, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University: “The problem with community consultation on this is we’re not likely to listen to them if they have a different view than we do,” Hennessy wrote. “We could find $5 million under the mattress and we’re still going to close the pool because we wouldn’t spend that money fixing it and we have better options for the space.”
Participant workbook for CAUT Atlantic Regional School “Building Power at the Bargaining Table”
A chainsaw cutting the CUPE 3912 logo. SMUArts has cut at least 80 courses available to PT Faculty. That’s a 56% course reduction. From 143 courses in 2023-2024 to 63 for the upcoming academic year.
Elections Canada Office at the Mic Mac Mall on the second floor
Addresses are of Elections Canada Offices in HRM taken from Elections Canada website
Image of the traffic flow at the MacDonald Bridge in Dartmouth, NS with the tolls removed.
Number of signatures per province. Ontario leads with 802, followed by BC with 400 and Quebec with 234. In Atlantic Canada, there are 82 signatures from NS, 30 from NB, 20 from NL and 10 from PEI.
Number of signatures supporting the petition per province.Ontario has 509 followed by BC with 300. In Atlantic Canada, NS has 45, NB 23, NL 16 and PEI 4.
Number of signatures per province. From Ontario 206 followed by BC with 99. There are 17 signatures from NS, 10 from NB, 6 from NL and 3 from PEI. The total number is over 500.
“Standing the gaff isn't just about being able to take the blows and the pressure. It’s about being stronger than the foe and pushing them back. It's the heart of resistance because it is focused on obtaining justice.” Charlie Angus, On International Women’s Day, We Stand the Gaff.
Trail to Alderney Landing
Path covered in ice
Graficas explicando voto hacia la extrema derecha en población con menor %de extranjeros, menos densas, menor natalidad, menos PIB per capita, más lugares industriales, más población envejecida
Snow and ice covering everything except for a clear narrow path on the sidewalk
Snow tracks - unknown animal but likely a rat?
Save Dartmouth Cove flyer on a post announcing a public meeting on Monday January 27 at 7pm at the Mic Mac Aquatic Club.
Screenshot showing the temperature (-8 degrees Celsius) in Dartmouth, NS on January 22, 2025 and the forecast for the week.