We hold our General Members Meeting on the 17th at 5 pm in the Sankey Chamber.

We will be discussing the following items on the agenda, and any item you wish to bring up!

Bylaw and Policy Changes

At the July 18th meeting, a notification of proposed changes to our bylaws and policies was given. Here they are to be discussed and voted on.

https://4207.cupe.ca/files/2019/09/A-notification-of-BYLAW-and-POLICY-CHANGES-was-given-at-the-JULY-18-GMM.pdf

Bargaining Updates

Elections

– for four open positions of Faculty Stewards (see our bylaws article 8)

• Business
• Math and Sciences
• Applied Health Sciences
• Education

– for five delegates to Health and Safety Conference Nov. 12-16

–  for one Trustee for the duration ending April 30, 2022 (for duties see our bylaws, article 7.11)

– to represent the local at CUPE National convention – we elect four delegates and ONE alternate = five members to go as delegates to the convention.

Our annual general meeting is on
Monday, April 15, at 3:30 pm in STH 217 (STH = Academic South)

It is at the AGM that we elect members into all positions on the Executive Committee; faculty stewards; international steward; Unit 1 instructor steward; health and safety officers; one trustee with term ending April 30th 2022; and labour council delegates. See full list of positions open for elections below.

The amendment to bylaws that will be discusses and voted on concerns the addition of a new position to the Executive Committee – Health and Safety Officer. If this motion to create this H&S officer passes, the position will be a part of the general election at this AGM. This means that it will be open for nominations and members can run for it.

Any member in good standing can run for a position. A member in good standing is a member who has filled and signed CUPE Application for Membership card. We will have these cards available at the meeting for you to sign if you haven’t done so already.

Continue reading →

The bylaw changes that are to be discussed and voted on. https://4207.cupe.ca/files/2019/02/BylawNoticeFebruary2019.pd

Ten delegates to CUPE Ontario Convention

Full agenda can be accessed here: https://4207.cupe.ca/files/2019/03/GMM-Agenda-26-3-2019.pdf

Any member in good standing can run for the position of a delegate to the CUPE Ontario annual convention. This year, the convention will be a site of many discussions, planning and organizing to push back the provincial government’s attack on public social programs, people who need them and the workers who work for them. https://cupe.on.ca/event/convention-2019/

Our February general meeting is after the reading week, on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 at 3 pm in Welsh Hall room 207. 

ON AGENDA:

• Elections for two positions 

• Bargaining Update – from Unit 1 and Unit 2 bargaining committees and Bargaining Research Committee
• Voting on Proposed Bylaw Changes*   these proposed amendments are going to be discussed and voted on at this meeting.
• Notice of Bylaw Changes. New. These amendments are to be voted on at March 2019 GMM (This is a work of the Policy, Bylaw and Finance Committee)
  
•  TA Hours Tracking Tool
• Report from delegates to the Ontario University Workers COordinating Committee – a sectorl committee [OUWCC] of CUPE Ontario. The conference is Feb 21 -24 and the members have elected 5 delegates.
• Three books are going to be given away to lucky members in a draw: 1., 2, and 3.

*These bylaw proposals are going to be voted on separately:

Notice 1 – Benefits Committee proposal

Notice 2 – Vice President Duties

Notice 3 – Two-Year Term for President and Treasurer

Notice 4 – Vacancy/Recall Language

The GMM starts at 4 pm in Plaza 600F – a room with a nice view.

A big item on the agenda is OUWCC Conference. We will be electing five members to go as delegates to the conference in February 21 to 24 (reading week)

The OUWCC stands for Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee, a sectoral committee of CUPE Ontario. CUPE-organized workers at any Ontario university campus choose their campus representative for two years duration to serve on the OUWCC board and act as a liaison between the committee and the CUPE workers organized on campus. Each university CUPE local can choose to affiliate with the OUWCC and  send delegates to the conference of the university sector – the OUWCC conference.

The aim of the conference is to benefit form shared strength and experience under and one common employer — the university industry. The conference is held at the CUPE Ontario headquarters in Markham. Registration and accommodation is covered by our local.

80 Commerce Valley Drive East, Markham, ON L3T 0B2

This GMM is significant as we are going to elect five members to Unit 1 Bargaining Committee. This election is conducted nine months prior to our collective agreement expiry date (September 7, 2019).

Preparations for bargaining is a lengthy and labourious process that requires serious engagement of all members elected. After all, the language in our collective agreement (the contract negotiated between the union and the university for the next period) has serious bearing on the working conditions of the 1,000 members in Unit 1, and by extension also on members of Units 2 and 3. We know well that our working conditions both directly and indirectly affect students.

MUCH MORE TO BE INFORMED ABOUT, READ FURTHER! Continue reading →

Our AGM is on Wednesday, April 11 at 4 pm in Thistle 325.

The main item on the agenda at our annual general meetings is ELECTIONS. See the agenda for this AGM with all the positions that are going to be elected. The positions’ duties are listed in our bylaws.

We will also be voting on two BYLAW AMENDMENTS.

One large amendment, particular to Unit 1, speaks to strengthening of our bargaining practices by a) adding a Bargaining Research Committee on the roster of standing committees (standing committee means a committee that is mandated to exist and be active by our bylaws), and b) by ensuring greater transparency and collaboration between the Bargaining Committee (the one that meets and negotiates with the employer) and the other committees and membership in reporting on the developments in negotiations.

The other amendment proposes to create another Vice President Position for Unit 1 that would be held by a graduate student member only.

Continue reading →

Our GMM is on March 22 at 5 pm in Glenridge room 164.

On agenda is voting on proposed amendments to bylaws and policies.

For information on workshops offered at the Niagara CUPE School go here https://www.facebook.com/events/568937476789918/

The proposed changes to our bylaws are available here. You can also find them in a post below. Hard copies are posted on CUPE boards in your department. The strike-through text means the language is targeted for removal, and the bold text is the newly added language.

Our March General Members Meeting is on the 22nd at 5 pm, location to be announced.

At the last GMM on February 28, a notice of change to bylaws was given. This means that attending members were presented with proposed changes to the bylaws of our local. On March 22, attending members will be voting on the acceptance of these newly proposed bylaw additions and changes.

The Policy, Bylaw and Finance Committee is tasked with assessing the current bylaws and policies in order to be able to respond to the ever changing environment at our workplace. The addition of the Bargaining Research Committee and the changes to both Bargaining Support and Bargaining Committees reflect the pressing needs of our local to be better prepared for negotiations with the employer.

The proposed changes are available here. The strike-through text shows the current language that is proposed to be removed, while the newly added language is in bold.