Tony Volpe, President of CUPE 389
President’s Report – January 2025 AGM
As we look back at what an amazing year we
have had in 2024, I am proud of what we have accomplished together. This year
has truly been a testament to the strength and solidarity of you, the members
of our union. Here are some of things we’ve achieved this year.
Firstly, we signed new deals for 6 of our expired contracts this past year.
These agreements represent the hard work and commitment of each member of these
units and the strength they bring to our union. To everyone on the bargaining
committees who were involved in these negotiations, I want to express my
deepest gratitude for your dedication and perseverance.
Another major milestone was achieving wage parity for the hardworking staff at
Northlands Golf Course. This achievement is a powerful example of our ongoing
fight for fairness and equity in the workplace. It’s a victory that was 20
years in the making, and reminds us of what we can achieve when we stand
united.
Another highlight was the comeback of the Children’s Christmas Party. After a
hiatus, this cherished event returned stronger than ever, bringing smiles and
holiday cheer to the children of our members. To all the volunteers and
organizers who made this possible, thank you for making such a meaningful
impact.
Even though we have had some success in the past year, we still have a lot of
work to do. We need to continue to work on better language for our temporary
and auxiliary members, the ongoing violence our members face in their schools
and adjusting our wages to be a little more comparable to our neighbouring
municipalities just to name a few things.
This year, we also introduced The 389 Open House, The Pro D lunch, and the
Christmas Pancake breakfast, all events to engage and connect with our members.
These events were a great success and will be even better in the years to come.
Looking ahead to 2025, I want to share some
important dates and reminders:
-Our next membership meeting is on Saturday
February 22nd. This meeting will also be in person, and we will be
holding our Officer elections. Please make sure to attend and participate in
this important process.
– A retirement seminar will be held on March 29 in the union office. If you are
interested in attending, please call the union office to add your name to the
list.
– We are always looking for new Shop Stewards. If you are interested in
becoming a shop steward this year, please let your union rep know or call the
office and speak to Taylor. She will take down your information and sign you up
for training.
– On April 2, we will be holding a shop steward meeting via Zoom. More
information will be coming soon.
Quick bargaining update:
We are actively preparing and will be serving notice to the employers for
bargaining in mid to late February. Negotiations will start with the City and
District, followed by the libraries, recreation commission, and then our
smaller units.
Lastly, I want to thank the executive and all the 389 committees for all their
hard work and dedication to our union.
And to our members, Thank you for your trust, and your support. As we move into
2025, let us continue to build on this momentum. Together, we can tackle new
challenges, seize new opportunities, and achieve even greater successes.
Thank you.
In Solidarity,
Tony Volpe