CUPE condemns MUN closures, Wakeham government for “abandoning” the province

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ST. JOHN’S, NL — The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is deeply concerned about the decision by Memorial University Newfoundland (MUN) to address the university’s budget issues by closing campuses and facilities and cutting jobs, and the lack of transparency around the impacts of that decision.

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While the announcement from MUN says there will be no ​immediate ​layoffs associated with this decision, ​CUPE has been told that positions will be ​eliminated​​. ​ ​

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“The university needs to be transparent with workers, with students, with the people of this province, about how these changes are going to impact the MUN community,” said Bill Kavanagh, CUPE 1615 President.

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“Publicly stating that there will be no layoffs but confirming quietly that positions will be eliminated undercuts any critical response to the university’s decision-making. This move will eliminate jobs held by CUPE 1615 members, along with the valuable service they provide.”

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CUPE 1615 represents administrative, instructional, and technical support staff at the St. John’s, Signal Hill, Grenfell, and Labrador campuses, and almost 40 CUPE 1615 members’ jobs were impacted when the Writing Centre, Harris Centre​ and the ​Office of Public Engagement​ were suddenly closed in July 2025, following the announcement that MUN has a $20M budget deficit.

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“This decision is being framed as ‘real estate divestment’ when it is clearly a reduction of services,” said Sherry Hillier, CUPE Newfoundland & Labrador President. “At the same time, we’ve seen that closing campuses, reducing services, and cutting jobs has not helped MUN’s financial situation.”

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Over the past 15 years, similar moves have reduced the membership of CUPE 1615 from nearly 1,500 workers to under 700. Notably, public funding to MUN has also been reduced by half since 2013.

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“These budget constraint measures by the university are clearly a result of the provincial government decreasing funding to MUN,” continued Kavanagh.

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Instead of cutting jobs, reducing services, and shortchanging students, there is a clear solution to MUN’s financial issues: Restore public funding to the province’s only public university.

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“The answer is clear: our public university needs public funding,” continued Hillier. “Ordering a tuition freeze and not restoring funding is irresponsible at best, and at worst, a complete abandonment of the people of this province.”

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CUPE is calling for intervention by the provincial government and an increase in funding to MUN, to ensure MUN remains a hub for accessible, world-class postsecondary education.

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CUPE Newfoundland & Labrador represents 6,000 public workers across the province, including hundreds of workers at MUN in locals 1615, 3336, and 4554.

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Contacts

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For more information, please contact:

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Sherry Hillier

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President, CUPE Newfoundland & Labrador

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709-765-2996

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Bill Kavanagh
President, CUPE 1615
709-864-2393

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Haseena Manek
CUPE Atlantic Communications
[email protected]

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