Dear Sisters and Brothers,
This reporting period has seen our union engaged in some critical struggles at the bargaining table, our members active in elections in New Brunswick, municipal/school board elections in four provinces and elsewhere in by-elections.
Struggles such as CUPE Local 1232 employed at the Mount Orford Ski Resort in Quebec, representing approximately 400 members, who were locked out on November 9. The dispute was settled on November 24 with our members successfully resisting removal of their cost-of-living clause!
It has also been a period of sadness as in a 10-day period in October we lost a number of members of the CUPE family. I remember them near the end of this report.
Our members have also gathered to plan and to organize at our National Human Rights Conference at various sectoral meetings and other gatherings. We know we work best when we work together and as detailed in this report, a number of key meetings have been held in the past three months.
We face some critical struggles in various sectors of our union, including an increased threat of P3s in BC’s municipal sector, and by the federal government. School Board workers in Ontario are also being attacked as the provincial government underfunds support services while denying elected school boards the right to maintain services.
As is always the case, this report captures but a glimpse of the incredible energy that our activists and staff exert day in and day out on behalf of our members, and for whom I thank each and everyone of you for your commitment to social justice.
This report covers the following topics:
- Free Collective Bargaining
- National Human Rights Conference – November 23-26, 2006 – Vancouver
- Strategic Meetings
- Global Justice – International Work
- Organizing
- Privatization – P3s
- Federal Scene
- United Way
- Regional Reports
- Personal
