CUPE Ontario Convention 2023

In accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution, you are hereby notified that the 59^th Annual CUPE Ontario Convention will convene on Wednesday, May 29^th, 2023 and will conclude on Saturday June 1^st, 2023 with sector caucus on Tuesday, May 28^th. Registration details to follow. [Click here to read the First Call notice].

Click here to read the Agenda of 60^th Annual CUPE Ontario Convention.

and one additional delegate for each additional 500 memberships or major portion thereof.

For each affiliated District Council, the basis for representation shall be two delegates. For each affiliated Council of Unions, the basis for representation shall be one delegate.  Representatives from District Councils or Councils of Unions must hold membership in an affiliated Local Union.

Local unions sending one or more delegates who identify as a member of an equity seeking group (Indigenous, LGBTQ2S+, racialized, women, workers with a disability and/or young workers) to the CUPE Ontario Convention shall be entitled to one (1) additional delegate. [Article 4(d)2.f of the CUPE Ontario Constitution.]

To be entitled to representation at Convention, a Local Union shall have paid per capita tax on its total membership up to and including March 31^st of the year in which the Convention is held. Such payment must be received prior to the commencement of Convention. Any Local that has not paid up its per capita by this date will be subject to the Convention late fee for all delegates being seated. [Article 4(d)2.b) of the CUPE Ontario Constitution.]

Additionally, Article 6.7 of the National Constitution provides that no organization in arrears two (2) or more months with per capita tax payments to the National Union will be allowed representation at a Division Convention.

The membership upon which the per capita payment for the last quarter of the calendar year preceding Convention is made shall be used for the purpose of determining delegate representation at Convention.  A District Council or Council of Unions shall have paid its annual affiliation fee by the commencement of Convention. [Article 4(d)2.c) & d) of the CUPE Ontario Constitution]

Please Note: Locals will receive credentials once paid up to December 31, 2022.

An affiliated Local Union, District Council or Council of Unions may elect alternate delegates to attend annual Conventions. An alternate delegate shall be entitled to attend sessions of the Convention, and shall be entitled to voice but no vote, except in the absence of a duly elected delegate. For the purpose of this section, the duly elected alternate delegate must be in possession of a delegate’s badge prior to being afforded vote. [Article 4(e)1 of the CUPE Ontario Constitution.]

For District Councils or Councils of Unions, the basis for representation shall be one alternate per affiliated Council. Representation from District Councils or Councils of Unions must hold membership in an affiliated local union. [Article 4(e)2 of the CUPE Ontario Constitution]

[4. (d)3] In addition, all locals, district councils, bargaining councils, and other affiliated organizations are eligible to send retiree delegates with voice but no vote except for a vote in a caucus of registered retiree delegates to elect their representative as follows:

Registration information will be made available at the end of February.

All resolutions to be considered at a Convention must be submitted by a Local Union or District Council, or by the Executive Board of the Division, or committee thereof, so that they are in the office of the Secretary-Treasurer no later than Forty-Eight (48) Days prior to the Convention and must not exceed 200 words in total.

April 13, 2023 is the deadline for receiving Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments.

All resolutions must be submitted in a Word document under the letterhead of the affiliate submitting same, and signed by the Presiding Officer and Secretary of such affiliate [Article 4(h) of the CUPE Ontario Constitution]. Please address resolutions to Yolanda McClean via email (in Microsoft Word) to [email protected].

Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments 2023

Please see Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments as reviewed by the committee.

One of the most important contributions to an efficient Convention is the work carried out by the five Convention committees. You must be a registered delegate to Convention in order to serve on most of these committees. Some committees require you to attend pre-Convention meetings.

• • As outlined, there are a limited number of members per committee.  If you wish to serve on a Convention committee, contact your local and ask that your name be submitted no later than March 17, 2023. Please click here to submit your Convention Committee Application Form

At this years’ Convention there will be an election for one trustee.  Any member who has declared for election to any position, and makes it known in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than March 17, 2023 shall be given the opportunity to provide up to a one hundred and fifty words statement as an election profile that shall be printed and distributed through regular mail and posted online.  CUPE Ontario will not be responsible for translating individual candidates’ election material. [Article 6(b) of the CUPE Ontario Constitution].  Please send materials to Yolanda McClean via Kareena Kawall at [email protected].

Local Unions that meet certain criteria, including locals having less than 100 full-time members, locals north of the French River, or locals that are currently on strike, may apply to receive a travel and registration fee subsidy. Details and eligibility requirements are available online at www.cupe.on.ca.

• • If you believe your local may meet these criteria, and if your local requires a subsidy to attend Convention, please click here to complete the Local Assistance Form prior to March 31, 2023.

All delegate accommodations are to be made through W. E. Travel before May 5th at 1-888-676-7747 or reserved online at https://wetravel.eventsair.com/cupe-on-convention-may-2023 starting February 1st at 10:00 am.

Toronto Sheraton Centre

$245.00/night plus applicable taxes

Cut–off Date: May 5, 2023

 

CUPE Ontario strives to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to our conferences and events in a manner that fully respects their dignity and independence. Wherever possible, our services are provided to persons with disabilities and others in an integrated fashion – unless an alternate measure is necessary in order to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use, or benefit from our services.

• • Please click here to submit an Access Request Form prior to April 30, 2023.”

A representative will be in touch with you prior to Convention to ensure that suitable arrangements have been made. Some examples of services that are available are: ASL Interpretation, French translation, large print, electronic materials, etc.

An Accessibility Liaison will be available to assist you during our event.

Please contact Winnie Lau for more information at [email protected].

• • “Both ASL and French translation are available at the CUPE Ontario Convention. Please submit an Access Request Form prior to the April 30, 2023 deadline with your request.”

Closing date for nominations: April 30

Sisters in Solidarity Award

The Sisters in Solidarity award was created to recognise the contributions of women in CUPE Ontario. The award seeks to honour and publicly celebrate a CUPE sister, group of sisters, or a women’s committee within a Local or District Council who has done outstanding work on women’s issues in the Union and whose leadership and activism have demonstrated a deep commitment to equity and social justice by breaking down barriers and increasing women’s participation in the Union.

Health & Safety Award

Do you know a member who has made a significant contribution on behalf of CUPE members in the area of Health and Safety? CUPE Ontario’s Health and Safety Committee is accepting nominations for the upcoming Health and Safety Award.

Injured Workers Advocacy Award

Do you know a member who has made a significant contribution on behalf of injured workers? CUPE Ontario’s Injured Workers Advocacy Committee wants to hear from you for their Injured Workers Advocate Award.

Racial Justice Award

The Livingstone Holder, Mervis White and Muriel Collins Award recognizes the contributions of CUPE members for enacting racial justice in our union. The award honours a CUPE member within a Local or District Council who has demonstrated leadership in promoting the engagement of racialized workers in all levels of CUPE activity and in working to remove barriers to full participation in all levels of CUPE activity.

The 59th Annual CUPE Convention, in person this year is fast approaching! Please note this year’s Convention is happening May 31 to June 3, 2023.

This message is intended to provide friendly notice on the deadlines and timelines for Per Capita payments as it is related to the eligibility to receive credentials for Convention.

Payment up to and including October / November / December 2022 Per Capita Tax to CUPE Ontario must be received in order to receive the Locals registration credentials for the CUPE Ontario Convention, if your Local plans to attend.

To be entitled to representation at Convention, each Local’s Per Capita Tax payments must be paid on its total membership up to and including March 31st of the year in which the Convention is held. Payment must be received prior to the commencement of Convention in order for Delegates to be able to attend the Convention.

Article 6.7 of the CUPE National Constitution provides that no organization, in arrears two (2) or more months with per capita tax payments to the national union, will be allowed representation at Convention. Please ensure that the CUPE National per capita tax payments for your local are up to date.

If you have any questions regarding CUPE National dues, please call the CUPE National Per Capita line at 1-800-363-2873. Please press option #5 to speak with Linda Marcoux. If Linda is not available, please press option #3 and speak with Linda Marcoux. Please note that this number is for CUPE National per capita inquiries only.

Locals may not have their March wages available in time to send in their numbers. While not ideal, please feel free to estimate your March 2023 payment using your February 2023 wages as a guide. If required, adjustments will be made in the following quarter.

In Solidarity,

Yolanda McClean
Secretary-Treasurer

CUPE Ontario wants our members to be able to attend all events that we hold during the year. Many CUPE members are parents who need child care to attend union events.

CUPE Ontario offers both a child care subsidy for members who choose to leave their children at home and onsite child care at Convention.

Qualified, unionized child care workers provide an age appropriate program for children under the age of ten. Snacks and lunch are provided each day. Please submit requests by the April 30th deadline.

• • Please submit your On-Site Child Care Form . Please submit requests prior to the April 30, 2023 deadline.

CUPE Ontario is offering a very exciting program for youth ages 10 to 14. This program will take youth on a learning journey about unions with lots of fun things built in. The curriculum will touch on labour history, benefits to workers and society as a result of unions, the social and economic contributions of unions and the place of unions in today’s society.

This will also be the chance for these budding activists to learn about CUPE’s structure and why the work you do in your Local and at Conventions is so important.

• • Please submit your Youth Camp form . Please submit requests prior to the April 30, 2023 deadline.