Delegates to the CUPE national convention will be facing some difficult issues, new faces, new ways of setting priorities, and the unions thickest resolution book ever.
More than 1,800 workers from all over the country will converge on Qub0065c City between October 27 and 31 to set direction and choose leadership for Canadas largest union.
CUPE will have a new president when delegates leave, as this convention will be Judy Darcys last. Delegates will also be electing the National Secretary-Treasurer and the other members of the National Executive Board.
This will be a very lively convention, says Darcy. We have more resolutions going to convention than weve ever had. Thats a strong statement of interest in CUPE and on the health of CUPEs democracy.
The union is taking a different approach to setting its strategic direction at this convention.
The National Executive Board has produced a draft strategy document that will be put on the convention floor for discussion. We want this to be a frank and open discussion, says Darcy. There will be no pro mikes, no con mikes, and we expect the document to be referred back for amendments.
After each session, a subcommittee of the National Executive Board will revise the document so that it reflects the days discussion. Then the committee will bring the document back for further debate.
In the end we hope to have a statement that the delegates have created themselves, one that points where delegates want to take the union.