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TORONTO Ann Dembinski has been re-elected as president of CUPE Local 79, the largest municipal local in Canada.

Representing Local 79 as president is an incredibly challenging and rewarding job, said Dembinski. The past two years have been tough for the local, but they have also been highly successful. I want to thank the membership for their show of support.

I would also like to congratulate the other candidates for president, Steve Kenney and David Kidd, for their hard fought campaigns, Dembinski said. I look forward to working with both of them.

The union holds its executive elections every two years. Also elected to the executive committee were:

Russ Armstrong, 1st Vice President
Tim Maguire, 2nd Vice President
Livingstone (Livvy) Holder, Vice President - Equity
Anne Dubas, Treasurer
Carmen Smith, Membership Secretary
Nancy Murphy, Recording Secretary

CUPE Local 79 represents more than 20,000 City of Toronto inside workers, including public health nurses, child care workers, clerical and administrative personnel, building inspectors, and the staff at the Bridgepoint Hospital. Last July, CUPE Local 79 was on strike along with CUPE Local 416 in the largest municipal strike in Canadian history.

We have plenty of work ahead of us, Dembinski said. We are faced with an employer that is determined to privatize and contract out more of our members’ work. We’ve got to be ready for that and other issues like worker morale, harmonization, and budget cuts. Local 79 is committed to fighting to protect the interests of our members. As president, I’m eager to be a part of that.

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For further information please contact:

Anne Dembinski, President, CUPE Local 79, 416-977-1629
Rob Harris, Staff, CUPE Local 79, 416-977-1629 ext 247
Pat Daley, CUPE Communications, 416-292-3999