Tonight is the Retirement Banquet

Many members say to me the union gives me nothing... To those brothers and sisters please allow me to fill you in on one of the absolute best values put on for the members of this local. The retirement banquet is an annual event held in a local hotel. This year like many before it will be held in the Glenmore Inn and Convention Centre. For $25 a ticket you get a huge buffet, drinks, a bottle of wine for the table, live music, dancing, a huge desert buffet, a chance to win some great door prizes, and last but not least you can reconnect with previous retirees.

Next year the event will run as it did this year. I encourage anyone who eats good food and enjoys an evening with friends to buy tickets and see what this union can give back to you. I will be enjoying this event with my girlfriend and many of the local 37 past and present members.

Congrats to Parks

Many Parks employees turned out to help initiate the funding for the fight back against the recent RFP (Request For Proposals) in the contracting out of 4 districts in Parks. The unanimous decision will see us fighting the city by highlighting to the council our discontent for this practice. Keeping the city jobs within the city workers is vital to ensuring we keep costs down. We know the work and the city needs to know this action is not acceptable to Local 37 employees.

We will also be holding meetings in July and August this year to help facilitate with the seasonal staff that have said they would like to be able to voice their concerns and help with the business of the local.

Thanks to everyone that showed up. Many other issues were discussed by the membership in attendance and I wish I could go over the 3.5hr meeting with precision but it was a long meeting and you really need to be there to get the full effect.

See you next month.

Attention Parks April General Meeting.

Next week at the general meeting you should be in attendance. A motion coming forward to run a campaign to fight against contracting out will come forward. Your attendance is important in giving us direction is this very important initiative.

Results of CUPE Alberta Election

After a valiant effort CUPE Local 37 was able to get 2 of the 4 positions we were running for at the convention.  Congratulations to Kevin Galley as he continues to follow the Alternate Area Vice President role. Also Peter Kaufman has been elected into the trustee role. Both were incumbents who were lucky enough to run unopposed. Congrats!

Chad Ennis and Scott Cush who were running for President and GVP South were unsuccessful by very few votes. Given that we were two months short of the other people running, the closeness was very respectable. We wish the successful members Marle Roberts who was successful for her run at President and Jake Braaten as he continues his last year as Southern GVP.

I have to say that this year due to two hospitality suites and a hotel that wanted to work with us to squelch the party noise we had a very great turn of events. The hotel allowed both suites to join up into a meeting area on the main floor. I have never seen in my limited two years of experience a time when everyone running was able to speak openly and in such solidarity that the tune of the convention was that of working on the real issues of the province. I was glad to be part of the discussion and look forward to supporting and watching the new executive take on the new priorities delivered by the over 31 motions and 16 constitutional resolutions put forth.

Thank you to all that supported me, from what I hear the vote was extremely close. Pictures will surely follow. Solidarity!