Hot Tubbin' For Justice

I am so excited to seek re-election as General Vice President at our CUPE BC convention this week.  I am so proud to have the endorsement of my local, CUPE 2950 (clerical, library and theatre workers at the University of British Columbia), as well as (for the fourth time) the CUPE Metro District Council to run for re-election. At the Building Strong Locals conference in Halifax earlier this month, I was asked what made me a proud to be a CUPE member? The answer was easy. "CUPE members." The work you do is vital to the sustainability of our communities and I don't think I can say enough how proud I am to have been your GVP for the past 2 years.     I've had the opportunity to represent CUPE BC in various capacities - at the executive officers' table of the BC Federation of Labour, at various community ally board meetings (CCPA and the BC Labour Heritage Centre), community events (childcare marches, Vaisakhi, International Women's Day, p

A couple of weeks ago I attended an event hosted by our friends at the BCGEU that featured a conversation on coalition building, community organizing and sheer determination to fight back against the austerity attack on public education. The panel was great: Glen Hansman, President of the BC Teachers' Federation Michael Brunson, Recording Secretary of the Chicago Teachers' Union Sonia Singh, Labor Notes Glen focused on the recent victory their union had in the Supreme Court of Canada - a rare decision off the bench that restored the right to bargain class size and composition. Next up are discussions with government on how they will implement the plan across the province. One thing I have learned in my time in the labour movement is that teachers are passionate about public education and their students' learning conditions. This 14 year battle united teachers giving the BCTF the best opportunity to start doing some serious internal organizing. They have been goi