Our National Executive Board met December 12 - 14, 2017 in Ottawa. These are the highlights of their deliberations and decisions.
In Memory
The National Executive Board (NEB) observed a minute of silence to reflect upon
the loss of members in our CUPE family. The following sisters and brothers were remembered: Wayne Hornquist, Local 2093, workplace fatality; Lloyd Smith, Local 873, workplace fatality; Mike Dick, Local 1764; Gwen Thompson, Local 1989; Susana Pelusi, Local 1989; Laurie Wiley, Local 1989; Robert Boulet, Local 301; Donna Smith Hoope, Local 5050; Lorna Tollman, President, Local 2545; Jeff Lawson, staff; Jean-Marc Bézaire, staff; Marie-Anne Churchill, retired staff; Shirley Montgomery, retired staff; James Beattie, retired staff; Dorothy Olson, retired staff; and Kealey Cummings, retired, CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer (1975 – 1985).
2018 Budget
CUPE’s finances remain stable and secure and are looking better than at this time last year; in fact, better than the last number of years. We’ve weathered challenging public sector restructuring, representation votes, and wage freezes, and although such challenges persist in some regions, CUPE has emerged stronger. After many years of pervasive austerity and declining growth, we are now anticipating slightly stronger revenue growth in the coming year.
Our 2018 budget includes 18 new staff positions across the country. This is in addition to the 11 temporary positions converted to permanent in September 2017. We are also able to provide a significant increase to resources for training new staff, member education, legal funding, technology improvements as well as organizing and national campaigns mandated by Convention.
Growing Stronger: A plan to build our union
Our 2015 National Convention mandated that an organizing paper be presented to the 2017 convention, where it was referred to the National Executive Board.
The NEB has now adopted this comprehensive document, which recognizes at the outset that organizing goes to the very purpose of our union. Staff are now working to implement the 15 key commitments that will drive our organizing efforts.
There is a role for everyone in our organizing plan. “Growing stronger: A plan to build our union” can be found online here.
A response to workplace violence
The NEB knows that our members are facing increased incidents of workplace violence, across the country and in every sector. Brothers Hancock and Fleury committed to develop a comprehensive national response to this growing crisis in 2018.
National Strike Fund
Following the adoption of resolution 318 at our 2017 National Convention, the National Executive Board amended the National Strike Fund Regulations to reflect the decision to pay strike benefits beginning on the first day of a strike.
Financial Support
The National Executive Board approved 17 cost-share campaign requests totaling $845,561.56, and 14 requests for legal support totaling $583,153.36.
