At a meeting last night of CUPE Local 408, which represents support staff at Chinook Health region, members voted to contribute $5,000 to the Red Cross Tsunami relief. The funds are in addition to a $200 contribution to a CUPE member in Calgary who lost most of his family in the disaster.
“When September 11th happened, we contributed $5,000 to victims of that attack,” said CUPE 408 President Carol Boklaschuk. “After it was pointed out to us that many more people died in the tsunami, we knew we had to do something.”
CUPE Alberta President D’Arcy Lanovaz said that coming forward in hard times is part of his union’s culture.
“Unions - in particular CUPE - are about working together and looking out for one another,” said Lanovaz. “The principals of we apply at the bargaining table also apply in times of crisis. If we can help, we do.”
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