Charles Fleury | National Secretary-Treasurer

Dear members,

This pandemic shows the important work you do on the front line across the country, caring for the sick and vulnerable, operating our transportation systems and making sure our public services continue to support our communities. You provide much needed services and I thank you for your commitment. I want you to know CUPE will continue to be there for you.

As your National Secretary-Treasurer, my main role in this crisis is to make sure CUPE National has the resources to continue to offer the critical services you count on. Fortunately, CUPE’s finances were strong going into this crisis. That means we have the campaign resources necessary to back the important fights you take on. And we are keeping staff on payroll to support you, offering critical services remotely.

We know there will be long-lasting economic effects of this crisis. CUPE National will be ready, but we will need to be very careful with our spending in the months ahead. We are therefore adjusting our national budget to find savings, mainly in our operational costs. Social distancing imperatives and postponements of all CUPE physical events, training and education programs also reduce our travel and meeting costs in the short to medium term.

But I want to be clear, not a penny in savings made will affect the level of services to members. Stay strong and stay safe my friends. We will come out of this stronger and more united than ever.