CUPE Ontario Convention 2024

In accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution, you are hereby notified that the 60^th Annual CUPE Ontario Convention will convene on Wednesday, May 29^th, 2024 and will conclude on Saturday June 1^st, 2024 with sector caucus on Tuesday, May 28^th. Registration details to follow. Click here to read the First Call notice.

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 31st of the year in which the Convention is held. Such payment must be received before the commencement of convention. Locals must pay before 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, 2023.

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(d)3(e) 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(d)3(e) of the CUPE Ontario Constitution].

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:
[Article 4(d)3 of the CUPE Ontario Constitution]

All resolutions to be considered at a Convention must be submitted by a Local Union or District Council, or by the Executive Board of CUPE Ontario, 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 the rational shall not exceed 200 words .

April 12, 2024 is the deadline for receiving Resolutions and Constitutional Amendments.

All resolutions must be submitted under the letterhead of the affiliate submitting same, and signed by the Presiding Officer and Secretary of such affiliate [Article 4, 3(h)] of the CUPE Ontario Constitution.We’ve made it easier this year! Please submit Resolutions to resolutions and Amendments to the constitution to constitutional amendments .

Submitting an Emergency Resolution

The process to submit resolutions for debate at the CUPE Ontario convention has now closed. The deadline to submit resolutions, as per our Constitution, is 48 days BEFORE the Convention begins, so this year that date was April 12, 2024.

You can find the emergency resolutions document linked here for more information. 

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 15, 2024. Please click here to submit your Convention Committee Application Form

Any member who has declared for election to any position and makes it known in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than March 15, 2024, 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 [email protected]. You can click here to see the available positions for this years convention.

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.

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, 2024.

All delegate accommodations are to be made through W.E.Union Travel before April 22, 2024 at 1-833-778-9669 or reserved online at https://wetravel.eventsair.com/cupe-on-division-convention-may-2024. Reservations can be made starting February 1, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

Toronto Sheraton Centre

$288.00/night plus applicable taxes

Cut–off Date: April 22, 2024

 

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 be mindful that there is a distance to travel from one room to another, and note that the floors are carpeted, which may create some challenges in maneuvering when using a manual wheelchair.

Please click here to submit an Access Request Form prior to April 30, 2024.

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, 2024 deadline with your request.

Closing date for nominations: April 30, 2024

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. Please find the nomination form here: CUPE Ontario Sisters in Solidarity Award Nomination Form

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. Please find the nomination form here: CUPE Ontario Health and Safety Award Nomination Form

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. Please find the nomination form here: CUPE Ontario Injured Workers Advocacy Award Nomination Form.

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. Please find the nomination form here: CUPE Ontario Racial Justice Award Nomination Form.

Pink Triangle Advocacy Award

Do you know members who have done important and essential work to build pride on 2SLGBTQIA+ issues in the Union, and whose leadershipand activism has shown commitment to social justice and equity by increasing 2SLGBTQIA+ members’ participation in the Union? CUPE Ontario’s Pink Triangle Committee wants to hear from you for their Pink Triangle Advocate Award. Please find the nomination form here: CUPE Ontario Pink Triangle Advocacy Award Nomination Form.

The 60th Annual CUPE Ontario Convention, is fast approaching! Please note this year’s Convention is happening May 29^th to June 1, 2024.  Sector Caucuses will be held on May 28, 2024.

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 2023 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 note that this number is for CUPE National per capita inquiries only.

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 30^th, 2024 deadline.

Please submit your On-Site Child Care Form . Please submit requests prior to the April 30^th, 2024 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^th, 2024 deadline.