CUPE National Convention 2021

Strategic Directions defines the core work of our union, from our Local Unions, through our councils and divisions, to the National Executive Board. It builds on and complements the policy and direction adopted at each of our previous National Conventions.

CUPE’s thirtieth biennial convention will be held November 22 to 26, 2021, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in British Columbia.

The CUPE National Constitution as amended at the 2025 National Convention.

A more detailed agenda is also available on the convention site, with links to join each of the events.

Convention Today for Wednesday, November 24

Delegates at CUPE’s biennial convention have re-elected Mark Hancock as their National President, and elected Candace Rennick as their new National Secretary-Treasurer.

Delegates elected CUPE’s two diversity vice-presidents, five general vice-presidents and 14 regional vice-presidents in caucuses held Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. They join our union’s two national officers in making up CUPE’s National Executive Board.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addressed CUPE delegates on the closing day of the 2021 National Convention. He thanked CUPE members for everything they have done on the frontlines throughout the pandemic. Recognizing how difficult things have been for frontline workers and their families, he assured delegates that “the NDP will be there for you every step of the way.”

Despite the challenges and changes forced upon us by the pandemic, our eighteen committees – including working groups and councils – continued their important work. In the last two years, CUPE national committees have continued to share information, offer advice, and lead actions on multiple levels.

CUPE has a long and proud history of challenging racism at work, at the bargaining table, in our communities and around the world. Today, CUPE members voted to step that work up even further by adopting a CUPE-wide Anti-Racism Strategy.

This year’s recipient of CUPE’s National Disability Rights Activism Award is Pat Shade, First Vice-President of CUPE 951. Pat is an active member of his local’s Health and Safety and Human Rights and Equity Committees. He advocates daily for the removal of barriers for members with disabilities.

Sister Susan Gapka is a tireless champion for equity in and outside of our union. She is this year’s recipient of the Grace Hartman Award. Susan has spent years advocating for women and the LGBTQ2+ community, and demanding more affordable housing and better mental health care.

These past two years have highlighted how important workplace health and safety is, and how much our union relies on our health and safety activists to be strong and assertive. This year’s Health and Safety Award recognizes the work of Brother Keith Fiering of CUPE 79.

Terri Preston has been a CUPE member for 32 years. Every day, she works not only to teach English as a second language, but also as an activist with CUPE 4400, promoting clear language in our communication with members.

Brother Joe Theriault is a long-time champion for racial justice. A former co-chair of CUPE’s National Rainbow Committee, he is this year’s recipient of the Ed Blackman Award.

According to Maïtée Labrecque-Saganash, an activist for Indigenous rights and an information officer for the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, there is an era before Joyce Echaquan and an era after. The latter, an Atikamekw of Manawan, filmed herself just prior to her death in a Joliette hospital. In the video, she is seen pleading for help, as a barrage of insults rained down on her.

Congratulations to everyone who submitted their work to this year’s Communications Awards. As always, it was difficult to pick the winners, however our awards selections represent the dedication of all CUPE communications activists, and the great communications work done by CUPE locals across Canada.

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), addressed convention delegates on Wednesday afternoon. Elected in June, Bruske’s appearance at the virtual convention marked her first time addressing a national gathering of CUPE members as president of the CLC.

CUPE members have begun to set the course for our union for the next two years, after spending time debating Strategic Directions 2021-2023 on the convention floor. The results of that debate will be incorporated into a final Strategic Directions document that will return to the convention floor on Friday.

Today, delegates heard about the work that has been done so far by CUPE’s Safe Spaces Working Group. Created by the National Executive Board to address serious concerns about gender-based violence and other forms of harassment and discrimination in our union, the working group – made up of the women members of the NEB – was created to ensure that CUPE has the necessary tools, policies, practices and processes to create safe spaces for all members and at all levels of the union.

CUPE National President Mark Hancock opened convention on Tuesday with a speech saluting the bravery and determination of CUPE members who fought through great uncertainty to deliver vital public services to their communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his farewell report to convention, National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury asked delegates to continue to carry the CUPE torch high, working toward a brighter and more prosperous future for all CUPE members and their communities across Canada.

At convention today, a vibrant tribute was paid to Charles Fleury who is retiring after 10 years as National Secretary-Treasurer and 40 years of involvement in our union.

CUPE members are not only on the front lines of every challenge facing our communities but are leading the way to make lives better for everyone, BC Finance Minister Selina Robinson told delegates on Tuesday.

Convention plenaries begin tomorrow morning, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all there. We know that many of you have already participated in sector council meetings, caucuses, and our delegate orientations – but for anyone who hasn’t yet had a chance, we strongly encourage you to log in and become familiar with the virtual convention hall.

This week will be CUPE’s 30th biennial national convention, but the first that we’ve ever held virtually. We’d hoped that we’d all be able to gather together in Vancouver this week, but – as we’ve all been doing throughout this pandemic – we’re going to work together, figure out some new tools, and get the job done.

Many of you will have had at least one experience with a virtual convention. But every virtual convention is a little bit different, and we want everyone to have the best convention experience possible. We ask that you make time to join one of our technical orientation sessions on November 21. We will also be holding an orientation session for new delegates to convention, to make sure that first-time delegates feel ready to fully participate in the week’s proceedings.

Six caucuses will be held for equity-seeking delegates on Monday, November 22: LGBTQ2+ members, Indigenous members, Black and racialized members, persons with disabilities, women and young workers. There will also be two election caucuses, for Diversity Vice-Presidents representing racialized workers and Indigenous workers, on Thursday, November 25.

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2019 Convention proceedings are now available.

Today CUPE’s National Executive Board met and discussed our upcoming National Convention, and the worsening COVID-19 pandemic. While we had hoped to hold an in-person Convention in Vancouver this November, it has become clear that it is unlikely that we will be able to safely convene such a large in-person event this November. That’s why the National Executive Board adopted a motion today to hold our National Convention virtually, on the same dates of November 22-26, 2021.

The convention will be held November 22nd to November 26th, 2021. CUPE will be holding our national convention this year, but we will not be able to confirm the format of convention until June.