Happy December CUPE 1260 Members,
As we head into a busy few weeks for everyone, we are looking forward to the holiday break at the end of this very productive first term. I want to start off by thanking every one of you for all the hard work over the last few months. It is no secret that illness and unfilled absences have taken a toll on all of us in one way or another. You continue to show up and step up where needed to support our students and each other. It is truly admirable and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support this incredible group of employees. Please, know that we continue to advocate workload concerns with the Employer and, while not enough, they do acknowledge the shortage of on-call employees and the unbelievable work you are doing.
You may have heard that the President seat on our executive is currently vacant. As Vice President, I am currently Acting as President and honored to sit in this seat representing all of you. Bargaining a new Collective Agreement is absolutely the top priority, however, we didn’t want to wait until the completion of this to hold the Presidency by-election. Your Executive works for you and at the end of the day it is up to the membership to decide who they vote in as President. Waiting just didn’t feel equitable to our members. Nominations are now open via e-mail to cupe1260@gmail.com and will be accepted from the floor on January 16th, 2023, when we vote for the new President at our General Membership Meeting. Currently, 2 members are in the running for President so I would encourage all members to attend this meeting and participate in casting their vote.
What I imagine most members are waiting for is an update around bargaining. We have been to the table 4 times now and have another 4 sessions scheduled prior to the Winter break. Your Negotiating Committee is a group of dedicated and eager members who have set a goal of completing the bargaining process before we break for the holidays. We continue to put in hours beyond the daily posted obligation to meet the goal set not only for the Committee, but more importantly, the entire membership. In addition to this, the Employer is also committed to working with us to meet this deadline. We are feeling great momentum at the table and HOPE to have a new Collective Agreement ready for your ratifying votes in the next 2-3 weeks…eek! We appreciate your patience as we move through this process. I know the waiting game isn’t fun, but the committee is mindful not to rush as we want to make sure we get the absolute best deal we can for our members.
In closing, I want to thank you all for your communication and involvement with our local. Our committees are full, and our Facebook group has over 400 members engaging in informative and supportive discussion almost daily! I am grateful to be seated at the head of this amazing community of people. I hope you are all able to take time for some well-deserved rest and self-care over the winter break however that might look for you.
Warm regards,
Taylor Holoboff
Acting President