Our next General Membership Meeting will be held in a hybrid format on Saturday, Oct 26th from 10AM-12PM. During the meeting, we will be hearing reports from the President, Chief Steward, Health and Safety Officer, and Treasurer. We will also be accepting nominations for the Faculty Club Unit Representative. All members joining online must register in advance to receive the Zoom link.

We encourage all members to attend, either in person or online. Your participation is valuable!

WHEN:
Saturday, Oct 26, 2024
10 AM - 12 PM

WHERE:
Sidney Smith Hall (100 St George St), Room 1072
OR
Online via Zoom (Hybrid Meeting)

Register here if attending online. A zoom link will be sent to your email once registered.

AGENDA

1. Roll call of officers
2. Reading of the Equality Statement
3. Reading and approval of minutes of previous meeting
4. Elections Committee Report
5. Oaths of Office
6. President’s Report
7. Nominations for Faculty Club Unit Representative
8. Treasurer’s Report
9. Notice of Motion to Establish Strike and Defense Fund
10. Health and Safety Officer’s Report
11. Chief Steward’s Report
12. Adjournment

The election for CUPE 3261 President will open on Friday, October 11th, and remain open until Friday, October 18th. On Friday morning you will receive an email which will include instructions on how to vote securely and anonymously using our third party election provider, Simply Voting.

For the full details on the voting process and to see each candidate’s statement, please see our recently published elections newsletter below.

If you or a colleague cannot vote online, we will have in-person voting stations set up throughout the week. See the newsletter for details. 

Sincerely,

Your CUPE 3261 Elections Committee

Frank DeCandia, Returning Officer
Bonnie Hassan, Election Assistant
Jun Cabrera, Election Assistant
Steve Parker, Election Assistant
Joseph Borland, Election Assistant

Questions? Email elections@cupe3261.ca or call 647-905-6030

Optional In Person Voting Locations

Friday, October 11

• Location: 89 Chestnut
• Room: St. Andrew Room
• Time: 2PM – 4PM

Tuesday, October 15

• Location: UTM
• Room: New Science Building SB 3049
• Time: 7AM – 9AM and 3PM – 5PM

Wednesday, October 16

• Location: UTSC
• Room: Humanities Wing HW216C
• Time: 2PM – 4PM and 9PM – 11PM

Thursday, October 17

• Location: St. George Campus
• Room: Union Office (703 Spadina Ave, 2nd Floor)
• Time: 10AM – 7PM

Friday, October 18

• Location: U of T Press Warehouse
• Room: York Board Room
• Time: 3PM – 5PM

Download (PDF, 472KB)

The position of Health and Safety Officer on the union’s executive has been vacant since the departure of Nancy Tomas in June of this year. At our July General Membership Meeting nominations were accepted for the position to be elected in October, and Kevin McDermott and Nicole Ponte accepted nominations. Nicole has since withdrawn her nomination, and in advance of Kevin McDermott being acclaimed to the position at our GMM this October, the union executive has appointed Kevin to fill the position effective immediately.

Kevin McDermott is a FTPT Unit member working in Building Patrol at the Medical Sciences Building on St. George campus. He can be reached by email at healthandsafety@cupe3261.ca or by phone at 647-694-2389.

Stay tuned for more details coming soon about our October executive election!

🍔 Back-To-Work September BBQ 🌭

Just a friendly reminder about the upcoming Back-To-Work September BBQ! 🎉

This is a joint event hosted by all U of T CUPE locals, including us, so it’s going to be a great chance to connect with colleagues from across the university and kick off the school year right.

If you’re planning to come, please fill out the RSVP form ASAP so we can make sure there’s enough food for everyone and arrange shuttle buses from satellite campuses if needed.

Note: Registration is now closed. Email casual@cupe3261.ca with any questions or concerns.

Key Details:

• Date: Saturday, September 21st
• Time: 12 PM – 4 PM
• Location: University College Quad (St. George Campus)
• Guests: All members are welcome to bring one adult guest, plus any young kids!

We’ll have fun activities and events for all ages, so don’t miss out!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Location Details:

Solidarity with CUPE 2361 – Western University Service Workers

CUPE 3261 stands in solidarity with the members of CUPE 2361, who courageously went on strike to advocate for fair treatment and improved working conditions at Western University.

The challenges faced by CUPE 2361 resonate deeply with us at CUPE 3261, as we recognize the vital role that caretaking, grounds, and trades workers play in maintaining a thriving campus environment. It is unacceptable that Western University has allowed a staffing crisis to persist, driven by low wages and unsustainable workloads, impacting both the workers and the entire campus community.

CUPE 3261 commends the strength and determination of CUPE 2361 in taking this bold step to demand a contract that acknowledges their invaluable contributions. We urge Western University to return to the bargaining table with a genuine commitment to addressing workers’ concerns and reaching a fair resolution that respects the dignity of all its employees.

In solidarity,

CUPE 3261 Executive

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Join the 2024 Labour Day Parade!

Calling all CUPE 3261 members!

Labour Day is our time to rise! Join workers on September 2nd for the Toronto Labour Day Parade – a powerful march from downtown to the CNE, celebrating 151 years of solidarity and struggle.

With inflation soaring, inequality widening, and basic fairness under attack, workers are drawing a line in the sand. We’re marching to defy the austerity and privatization agenda that’s eroding our public services and driving up the cost of living.

This Labour Day, let’s paint the city pink! Join CUPE members from all walks of life and send a resounding message: enough is enough!

WHEN: Monday, September 2nd, 2024 at 9AM

WHERE: Section 8, West Side of University Ave., North from Armoury to Dundas St. W. (Marching to the CNE)

We’re fighting for workers, our communities, and a brighter future. Because we’re worth it!

CUPE 2361 Solidarity Rally This Saturday at Western University

Our colleagues at CUPE 2361 (not a typo, we promise!), who represent service workers at Western University, will be in a legal strike position tomorrow at 12:01 AM Friday, August 30th. These members, who do work similar to ours – like caretaking, trades, athletics, grounds, and maintenance – are fighting against chronic understaffing, heavy workloads, and low wages. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to reach a fair deal with their employer, with strike action likely starting tomorrow.

We urge you to show your solidarity! A rally will be held at the CUPE 2361 picket lines from 12 PM – 2 PM this Saturday (August 31).

To make it easier for members to attend, the OUWCC (Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee) is organizing a bus to the rally leaving from downtown Toronto.

• Departure: 9 AM, Saturday, August 31st
• Location: Union Station, near the West Entrance (26 York St, Toronto, ON M5J 2M3)

We invite all available members, along with any friends and family, to join us on the bus or meet us at the picket lines to stand with our fellow workers!

Please fill out this RSVP form if you plan on attending.

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Back-To-Work September BBQ

Get ready to kick off the school year with a sizzling September BBQ! 🌭🍔  We’re thrilled to announce this joint event hosted by all U of T CUPE locals, including CUPE 3902, CUPE 1230, CUPE 2484, and us!

Planning to come?  Please fill out this RSVP form as soon as possible so we can ensure there’s enough food for everyone and arrange shuttle buses from satellite campuses if needed!

Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 4th.

All members are welcome to bring one adult guest. Additionally, if you have young kids, they’re more than welcome too! We’ll have fun activities and events for all ages.

Event Details

• Date: Saturday, September 21st
• Time: 12 PM – 4 PM
• Location: University College Quad (St. George Campus)
• RSVP Form

We can’t wait to see you there!

Nominations will remain open until Friday July 19th.

General Membership Meeting

On July 6th, we held our General Membership Meeting. During the meeting, nominations were held for three executive positions and one trustee. The nominees are:

President (Oct 2024 – Oct 2026)

• Luke Daccord
• Chris Tavares

Health and Safety Officer (Oct 2024 – Oct 2025)

• Kevin McDermott
• Nicole Ponte

Recording Secretary (Oct 2024 – Oct 2026)

• Hillary Phillips

Trustee (Oct 2024 – Oct 2027)

• Danny Tavares

Congratulations to both Hillary Phillips and Danny Tavares, who will be acclaimed to their respective roles in October of this year.

Elections for President and Health and Safety Officer will be held in October in accordance with our election bylaws approved last year. We are currently looking for members to join the elections committee! See below for more details or sign up here.

Stay tuned for further details about the voting process throughout the coming months.

 

Bylaw Amendments Approved by the Membership

We are also pleased to announce that all the proposed bylaw amendments were approved by the membership. These changes aim to streamline our amendment process, encourage member involvement, simplify the committee joining process, and update various housekeeping items. The bylaws will take effect upon approval by the CUPE National President. You can view the approved bylaws here.

 

Trustee’s Report

The trustees presented their annual report on the local’s 2023 finances with recommendations on how to enhance financial accountability, transparency, and record-keeping. After discussion their report was approved by the membership, and the local’s executive is committed to their implementation.

 

Call for Interest: Join the CUPE 3261 Elections Committee

We are looking for members to join the CUPE 3261 Elections Committee to support our upcoming October Election. The Elections Committee plays a crucial role in organizing and facilitating the election, and we are looking for members who are interested in contributing their time and skills.

Duties include:

• Administering and monitoring the electronic voting: Administer the electronic platform and assist members as needed
• Operating in-person election booths: Providing voting support and assistance to members during election week.
• Ensuring fairness and transparency: Establishing and monitoring election rules and and procedures
• Managing election communications: Preparing information about election dates, procedures, candidate statements, and approving the election newsletter (sent by the communications committee).
• Facilitating election-related events (e.g., townhall)
• Counting votes, verifying results, and announcing the winners.
• Addressing election disputes: Investigating and resolving any challenges or concerns raised during the election.

Requirements:

• Interest in the democratic process: A commitment to ensuring fair and transparent elections for our members.
• Basic digital literacy: General familiarity with navigating internet websites, emails, etc. is helpful.
• Strong organizational and communication skills: Ability to collaborate with others and communicate effectively.

No experience is required. All those interested will be trained and supported in this role by the Local’s CUPE National Servicing Representative.

Sign up here and fill out the form if you would like to be contacted to learn more about the position.

Per CUPE 3261 Bylaws 8-b-2:

“…the President will, subject to the approval of the Executive Board, appoint an Elections Committee consisting of a Returning Officer and assistant(s). The Committee will include members of the Local Union who are neither Officers nor candidates for office…”