Charles Fleury | National Secretary-Treasurer
Usually, I take this space to share a message about CUPE’s financial health, and how we’re using our resources. I’m proud of our union’s strength. We have what it takes to back members up financially, no matter what challenges they face.
But with the federal election just around the corner, I’m thinking about CUPE’s biggest assets: our members. At 680,000 strong, engaged CUPE members are a powerful force across the country. One in every 55 Canadians is a CUPE member. One in every 24 Canadian workers is one of us. We’re in communities big and small from coast to coast to coast. And we can make a difference if each and every one of us gets involved.
To make that difference, we need to organize and mobilize our members to get out and support the NDP, the only party that stands with Canadian workers.
Imagine the impact we’ll have if we work together. We can elect a government committed to protecting and expanding public services, including a national pharmacare program. We can vote for the party that will keep workers and communities at the heart of a plan to tackle the climate crisis. And we can choose a government that will work to make life more affordable by investing in services like public transit and affordable housing.
Over the summer, I’ve been talking with everyone I meet about what’s at stake in this election. I’m sure many of you have as well. With voting day just weeks away, it’s time to take the next steps.
Here’s what we can all do between now and October 21. Keep talking to members, family and friends about why this election matters. You can find out more about the issues and how to get involved at cupe.ca/cupe-votes, CUPE’s election resource centre. If you haven’t already, make sure you and everyone you know is registered to vote – and follow through by casting your ballot.
Volunteer on a local campaign and sign up to get out the vote on election day. Every single vote counts, as we saw recently in Newfoundland and Labrador, where an NDP candidate won their seat by just two votes.
This election is about our jobs and public services, the well-being of our communities, and the future of our planet. Let’s make sure that people like us help decide this election, by mobilizing to support NDP candidates in ridings across Canada.
