Mobilizing against austerity in every community

CUPE Ontario Convention 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Historic fights
against
concessions
FiveCUPElocalsinOntariohave
takenstrongstandsagainst
concessiondemandsoverthepast
year.
Mobilizing against austerity in
every community
CUPEOntarioPresidentFredHahn
kickedoffConventionon
Wednesdaymorningwithan
electrifyingspeechthatpledgedto
defendpublicservicesandpublic
employeesfromtheausterity
agenda,andprotectOntario’s
publicpowerfromprivatization.
“Thehydrogridistherebecause
ourparentsandgrandparents
boughtandpaidforitwiththeir
taxes.Itbelongstoallofus,”Hahn
toldthethousanddelegateswho
packedtheSheratonCentretohear
hisspeech.
Injustafewshortweeks,we’ve
broughttogethertheKeepHydro
PublicCoalition,andareworking
closelywithAndreaHorwathand
theNDPtoholdPremierKathleen
WynneandLiberalgovernmentto
account,headded.
Ahugeandgrowingmajorityof
Ontariansopposethesale,which
willendpublicownership,
oversightandaccountability.Itwill
alsocostushundredsofmillionsin
lostrevenuesanddriveuphydro
rates.Higherrateswillbeadirect
hitonoperatingbudgetsforthe
servicesweprovide,meaningmore
layoffsandservicecutsinevery
sector.
WemustmobilizeacrossOntarioto
fightthissale,aswemobilizedin
recordnumbersduringthe
provincialandmunicipalelections.
Thestrengthofourmovementwas
proveninAlberta,wherelabour
helpedelectanNDPgovernment.
“IftheNDPcanbeelectedtoa
majorityafterfortyyearsof
Conservatives,runningona
progressiveplatformofraising
corporatetaxesandrollingback
cutsineducation,anythingis
possible,”hesaid,adding,“Weare
oneelectionawayfroman
enhancedCanadaPensionPlan,
fromcorporationspayingtheirfair
shareintaxes,fromanationalchild
caresystem,thelistgoesonand
on.”
BrotherHahnalsopaidtributeto
municipalworkersanduniversity
workerswereonpicketlinesinthe
pastyearandstrikingCityof
Londonemployeeswhobegana
strikelastweektodefendtheir
collectiveagreements.
InJune,DurhamRegioncouncil
targetedtheEMSsickleaveplan
forLocal1764members.Itwasan
attempttodividealocal,but
membersstoodtogetherthrough
adifficultstrikethatheldback
sickleaveconcessionsforthevery
peoplewhoprotectourhealth.
Twomonthslater,inAugust,22
membersofCUPELocal1490in
BlackRiver‐Mathesonwere
lockedoutbythemunicipality
afterrefusingdemandsforshift
changesthatwouldhavemeant
membersneverhavingaweekend
offwiththeirfamilies.
Throughthewinter,CUPELocal
3902attheUniversityofToronto
andLocal3903atYorkUniversity
bothtookbravestandsagainst
precariousworkandpoverty‐
levelcompensation.Thousandsof
membersstoodresoluteand
achievedimportantgainsthatwill
raisethebarforcontractfaculty
andteachingandgraduate
assistants.Local3903alsowonan
importantvictorytoincludeLGBT
membersinemploymentequity
language.
Today,CUPELocal101,
representingmunicipalworkers
inLondon,isontheirfirststrike
since1979.Theyarefighting
managementattemptstogutthe
collectiveagreement’slanguage
onhoursofwork,jobevaluation,
promotions,andcuttingretiree
benefits.AtConvention,locals
fromacrosstheprovincepledged
supportforoursistersand
brothersinLondon.
T hursday, May 28, 2015
Together, let’s build a better Ontario: Moist
CUPENationalPresidentPaulMoist
praisedCUPEOntario’ssuccesson
thepoliticalfrontandatthe
bargainingtableduringhisaddress
toconventiondelegates.
HesalutedCUPEOntariomembers
whohavebeenonthepicketline
overthepastyear,thankingthem
forstandingupforfairnessatthe
bargainingtable.Moistsaidthat
fightcontinuesforallCUPEOntario
members.
“Byfar,ourbiggestchallengehere
inOntarioistheprovince’sausterity
agendaandtheirmovement
towardsprivatization,”saidMoist,
callingoutOntarioLiberal’swasting
ofover$8billiononP3s,andmoves
toprivatizetheprovince’shydro
utility.
“CUPEstandsopposedto
privatizationofHydroOne.Itwill
driveupratesandwillhurtthe
Ontarioeconomy,”saidMoist.“We
didn’tacceptthiswhenMikeHarris
triedthisandwewon’tacceptit
now!”
Moistalsorallieddelegatestothe
otherfrontinthefightagainst
austeritytheupcomingfederal
election.
Health and
Safety Award
WHOA, CHECK OUT THIS FINE EXEMPLAR OF DEMOCRACY TAKING PLACE
ON THE CONVENTION FLOOR JUST THIS MORNING,
“Wehaveanopportunitytovote
forthegovernmentwewantand
getit,theopportunitytoelectour
firstNDPfederalgovernment,with
TomMulcairasourPrime
Minister,”saidMoist,whocalled
onalldelegatestogobacktotheir
localsandtalktotheirmembers
aboutvotingforabetter,fairer,
moreequalCanada.
“Wewanttotalkaboutvotingfor
thekindofCanadayouwantfor
yourselfandyourfamily,”said
Moist.“Together,let’sbeactivein
votingforchangeweallbelievein.
Together,let’sbuildabetter
Ontario.”
KathyMacKinnonfromLocal7800
receivedthisyear’sCUPEOntario
HealthandSafetyAward.
For25years,SisterKathyhas
servedonlocalandjointhealthand
safetycommittees,representing
morethan3800membersatsix
hospitalsandfivesatellitesitesin
HamiltonHealthSciences.
AsbestosisakeyissueforSister
KathyandmembersinHHS,which
hasmorethan300acresofasbestos
initsbuildings.Shespentyears
fightingtheemployer,resultingtwo
yearsagoinchargesandfines
totalling$19,000.
LastSeptember,shecameinfrom
vacationbecausetheemployerwas
notpreparedtoadequatelyprotect
workersdealingwithpatientswith
Ebola‐likesymptoms.
AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
Day 2
9:00
Call to Order
Secretary-Treasurer's Report
Candace Rennick
Guest Speaker
Lucia McKeever, President, UNISON
Noon-
Rally
2:00 pm
Call to Order
Sisters in Solidarity Award
National Secretary-Treasurer
Charles Fleury
5:00 pm
All Candidates' Forum
7:00 pm
International Solidarity Forum
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