Dear CUPE Local 389 Members,
Thank you to those who registered for the Local 389 General Membership meeting on October 25, 2025.
At the meeting, an important motion was debated regarding the method of voting in Local 389 elections. Since the issue would have changed Local 389 Bylaws, a 2/3 majority vote was required. Preliminary results were close to but below the 2/3 threshold. After the vote, some members raised concerns that they did not have the chance to vote. At the meeting, I made the decision that the vote needed to be fair and that it would proceed by a link to email so that members could be assured that their voice was counted.
We do not know who was present at the time of the motion and would be allowed to vote on it. More people were registered by email for the meeting then were present when the motion was being debated. We cannot send voting links to members who registered for the meeting but did not attend, did not hear the debate, and were not present when the vote was held.
Fairness must be the priority for important votes. Members must have confidence in the democracy of the Local. For this reason, the vote for the motion will be held at the next General Membership Meeting on November 24, 2025 at 6pm. The procedure for the vote will be:
- Only those members who register in advance and attend the November 24 meeting will be allowed to vote
- The motion will be debated again at the meeting
- When the motion is debated, we will virtually “tile the doors”
- Those members who are present at the time of tiling the doors will receive a personalized link by email to allow them to vote on whether or not to adopt the motion
- The present members will have 24 hours to cast their votes from the link
- The Motion must receive a 2/3 majority of votes cast to be adopted.
This procedure is the fairest way to ensure that members voices are heard and democracy is respected.
Aside from this Motion, there is another important Motion on the agenda about whether to admit a new bargaining unit to Local 389. Please plan to attend the November 24 General Membership Meeting to vote on these important motions. A registration link will follow closer to the date.
In Solidarity,
Tony Volpe, President
CUPE Local 389
