Our members are facing many challenges these days: attacks at the bargaining tables, government cuts, and funding freezes. But CUPE members are always ready to take on a fight, and they can count on their national union to back them up.
In CUPE, we know how to mobilize our members to resist attacks. We also build our union power across our regions and across the country. CUPE National: that’s 636,000 members, tens of thousands of dedicated activists, and more than 850 staff members.
Together, we are CUPE National. When all of us work together, we have everything that we need to fight against attacks and to win.
We also have a powerful union because each month, our 2,400 locals send their per capita payments to CUPE National. This money pays for staffing, offices, training, campaigns, organizing, election work, our Fight back Fund, our Strike Fund, and so much more.
This year, we have a big focus on supporting strikes and lockouts. In CUPE, we do many things to prevent a strike. But sometimes, it’s the only way to hold onto what we have and to make gains. When that happens, we are committed to supporting our locals. Our priority is always to make sure that the picket lines stay strong and that we win the strike.
We now have over 85 million dollars in our National Strike Fund. The employers know this, and this is a big part of our power as a National Union. We all have a responsibility to make sure that our Strike Fund stays healthy and available for every member who needs it.
Alone we can only do so much. But when we work together and support each other, we have the people power and the resources to win many fights.
Charles Fleury
National Secretary-treasurer
