A number of CUPE members were elected to the Executive Board of the Canadian Labour Congress at its convention in Toronto this week.
They were:
- Marie Clarke Walker, re-elected as CLC Executive Vice-President.
- Paul Moist, Vice President
- Toni Karner, CUPE 4207, Youth Vice-President
- Lucie Levasseur, Affirmative Action Vice-President
- Lynn Taylor, of HEU CUPE 6010, Diversity Vice-President for Workers with Disabilities
- Victor Elkins, HEU CUPE 6010, re-elected as Diversity Vice-President for LGBT
- Joanne Webb, CUPE 4800, Alternate for Diversity Vice-President for Aboriginal Workers
- Ali Mallah, CUPE 79, alternate for Diversity Vice-President for Workers of Colour
“CUPE is a more of a social union movement than other labour bodies so I want to build more of that social unionism into the CLC,” said Karner. “Working with youth committees of CLC affiliates, our first priority will be to train young union organizers.”
Lynn Taylor wants to see disability issues at the forefront of the CLC’s work.
“My priority is accessibility and employment for workers with disabilities,” said Taylor. “We need to encourage the CLC and affiliates to bring more persons with disabilities into unions through organizing and hiring them as staff.”
Elkins says he’ll be working to “build bridges with other equality groups because there is a lot of commonality that we share and we need to put a common, strong front forward for change.”
Marie Clarke Walker said the CLC will continue to work with coalitions and other community groups as they are important partners in fighting the neo-Liberal and neo-Conservative agendas. “As well, the CLC will continue working to build capacity among and between workers, affiliates and communities.”