Laura Walton, the President of the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) who successfully led 55,000 education workers in Ontario to victory over Doug Ford’s Conservative government, shared her inspiring story with convention delegates on Thursday.

“When you’re under attack- what do you do? Walton asked delegates. “You rise up, and you fight back.”

Walton shared the story of the work her union did to build power and mobilize for a successful strike vote, which saw record turnout and led to a 96.5% vote in favour of a strike. Workers came together to have conversations with other workers, making over 50,000 calls to members.

“We started with member-to-member conversations, and that’s how we built power,” Walton said. “We trained over 1,000 workers on how to have conversations. “When you’re organizing, listening is key.”

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The CUPE Saskatchewan convention featured a panel discussion on recognizing and addressing the structural barriers that many Indigenous, racialized and 2SLGBTQI+ members in our union face, and to ensure our union is reflective of our members experiences.

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Through collective action, media and political pressure, and the use of digital campaign tools, CUPE members have successfully saved a Preeceville group home from closure and prevented the loss of at least eight jobs in the community.

“Just a few days ago, our group home was facing closure and the CUPE members who worked there were preparing to be laid off,” said Angie Pawliw, president of CUPE Local 3364. “Thanks to the support of our community and the solidarity of CUPE members from across the province, we’ve been notified by the employer of the great news that the home will remain open.”

Group Home Number Three in Preeceville is home to residents with disabilities who are supported by staff who provide 24-hour care. Mackenzie Society Ventures, the company who operates the home, had recently announced plans to close the home permanently at the end of March without explanation, despite the fact that the home is fully funded by the provincial government.

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With CUPE Saskatchewan’s 2023 Convention underway, delegates elected J.R. Simpson as vice-president and Erin Auchstaetter recording secretary during elections held on Thursday, March 9, 2023.

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The road ahead is challenging, but CUPE is in a strong position to build worker power and back members for the fights to come, according to National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick, who addressed convention Thursday morning.

Rennick noted that agreements covering about one in six CUPE members in Saskatchewan are open, and many others are either at the bargaining table or heading there soon. This is a critical moment for members across the province to make progress.

“To survive and thrive, we must win real wage increases for CUPE members,” said Rennick. “Raising the floor for all workers, but especially for the lowest paid, is the only way to end labour shortages in healthcare, child care, social services and other sectors suffering a retention crisis.”

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CUPE National President Mark Hancock addressed convention on Wednesday, telling members it’s up to CUPE leaders and activists to organize and mobilize members in order defeat the right-wing in Saskatchewan.

“Scott Moe and the Sask Party are hoping that no one is paying attention, because their plan to privatize, contract out, and sell out our communities only works if people like us aren’t paying attention,” said Hancock. “But that’s precisely why it’s our job to sound the alarm, get organized, and fight back.”

Hancock called out the Sask Party government for selling out public services and workers in the province as the cost-of-living goes through the roof. But as Saskatchewan’s largest, strongest union, CUPE can fight back, by engaging rank-and-file members and building a more militant labour movement in the province.

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Cadmus Delorme, Chief of Cowessess First Nation, delivered an important message to delegates at the CUPE Saskatchewan convention on the need for everyone to act on Truth and Reconciliation and the 94 calls to action.

“We cannot even talk about reconciliation until we understand and accept the truth, and reconciliation can only happen with uncomfortable conversations,“ Delorme said, referring to the identification of unmarked graves at residential school sites across the country, including at Cowessess First Nation. “We inherited this moment, and no one needs to feel guilty. But we need to have these conversations.”

Chief Delorme, who was first elected Chief of Cowessess First Nation in 2016, told his personal story about the impact that generational traumas in his own family.

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Politics matters. That’s the message CUPE Saskatchewan President Judy Henley brought to the 2023 convention floor in Regina this week.

“Some may say our union shouldn’t be getting involved in politics,” said Henley. “But when governments are bringing in policies that stop our members from putting food on the table – politics matters.”

“The public services that CUPE members deliver to continue to face underfunding and underinvestment despite the province being flush with cash and resource revenues,” said Henley, noting the Sask Party government is actively pushing privatization of health care, and diverting direly needed resources and staff away from the public system.

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In honour of International Women’s Day, delegates at CUPE Saskatchewan’s annual convention were invited to the “The Women’s Forum” organized by the CUPE Saskatchewan’s Women’s Committee

This year’s guest speaker was Betty Nippi-Albright, the NDP MLA for Saskatoon Centre. Betty is the opposition critic for First Nations and Métis Relations, Truth and Reconciliation, and the Public Service Commission. Betty is from Kinistin Saulteaux Nation. She is a Saulteaux and Cree mother and grandmother.

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CUPE municipal workers from across the province are gathering today at the
Delta Regina for their annual conference.

“Municipal workers across Saskatchewan continue to face challenges as cash-strapped
cities and towns make budget cuts, privatize, outsource, and contract out vital services
that their residents rely on,” said Dylan Breland, CUPE Municipal Employees Steering
Committee (MESC) and an employee for the City of Melville.

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