Kindly use this form from point forward.

Thank you grievance_form_eng_final_v2

 

The OHSA gives workers three important rights:

1. The right to know about hazards in their work and get information, supervision and instruction to protect their health and safety on the job.
2. The right to participate in identifying and solving workplace health and safety problems either through a health and safety representative or a worker member of a joint health and safety committee.
3. The right to refuse work that they believe is dangerous to their health and safety or that of any other worker in the workplace

(Taken from www.ontario.ca  The Internal Responsibility System)

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

World Health Organization, 1948

When we talk about mental health and mental well-being, we are referring to a person’s ability to realize their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to their community.

Definitions of mental illness have changed over time. Broadly, mental illness refers to changes in patterns of thinking, feeling or acting that continue over time. It may interfere with daily functioning in social, work, and family contexts. Causes of mental illness may be biological, psychological, social, or any combination of these.

Mental health and physical health are deeply linked. Physical illness or injury can have a negative impact on mental health. Conversely, mental illness can be accompanied by a broad range of chronic physical conditions.

Signs of a possible mental health issue

There are a number of signs and symptoms that you may notice in yourself, a co-worker or a member that can indicate a possible mental health issue. Noticing signs is a key first step in determining your approach to a situation.

Watch out for:

Changes in eating/sleeping habits
Withdrawal/isolation
Alcohol or drug use
Changes in personal appearance
Changes in energy/sociability/physical health/behaviour
Loss of focus/productivity
Frequent absences
Errors or accidents on the job
Talking about strange ideas
If you notice signs of possible mental health issues, avoid making a diagnosis. Only a doctor can do that. Many of the signs and symptoms of one mental illness could also be an indication of another, or of other circumstances that are affecting someone’s mental health. Avoid passing judgement or making assumptions about someone’s behaviour. This can unintentionally cause serious damage.

SUMMARY OF THE CUPE Ontario Convention 2022

 

“Demand better, vote together: The Ontario we deserve”

 

On April 27th, National President, Mark Hancock, gave an opening address, making it clear that the contributions of CUPE Ontario members have not gone unnoticed and reminded us that, in this critical moment, we were part of 700,000-member strong national union. “And as we have seen, time and time again, it’s going to be CUPE members leading that fight, and leading the charge for a better world,” he said.  “History is made by those who show up,” said Hancock, “and I know CUPE is ready to show up, and make our mark on history, by defending the things we believe in most and standing for a better future for everybody.”

Candace Rennick attended and provided a rousing address to the delegates.  Candace Served as CUPE Ontario’s Secretary-Treasurer for 11 years before being elected as CUPE National’s Secretary-Treasurer at the National Convention in November 2021. Candace’s address was a reminder of why we’re here and why we do the work we do couldn’t have been more powerful. “We are a union that fights against precarious work and privatization,” she reminded us. “We fight for public services and universal social programs to be funded, expanded, and improved. And we know that fighting on all these fronts, is a direct challenge to racism, colonialism, and gender inequity.”

 

Fred Hahn president of CUPE ON gave his report which was followed by Secretary Treasurer Yolanda McLean’s report.  Both were hopeful that there will be renewed action on behalf of CUPE workers on the frontlines, the support of the NDP party for the upcoming election was front and center.

 

On April 27^th, delegates heard from and voted on resolutions out of the social services sector as well as a pair of emergency resolutions.

Delegates united behind the Ontarians that social service members support in accessing social assistance with an important resolution to raise the rates of income supports, like the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Resolutions also saw delegates make commitments to advocate against Bill 106, a law which cherry picked and pitted members working side by side against one another. We resolved to advocate, lobby and fight for permanent wage enhancements to apply to all workers. And finally, Child care workers, joined by delegates from all sectors, overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution to advocate for a better child care deal that includes a real workforce strategy to recruit and retain staff—an especially important commitment considering the national child care labour shortage.

 

On the eve of an election, a message from Andrea Horwath

What an honour to hear from Andrea Horwath, leader of the Ontario NDP, who reminded members that not only are we keeping our communities running – our work and our solidarity inspires political action in the halls of power. “My working-class roots taught me a lot. And CUPE members and leaders have taught me a lot too — like what it takes to make life better for you and your families.”

She also critically reminded us that CUPE Ontario can count many of its own members as candidates and incumbents, something we’re all proud of and inspired by. Our activism within our union, let’s remember, has always been the fertile ground for our activism everywhere. With a historic provincial election, the first one since COVID-19, on our doorsteps, we’re inspired, excited, and proud to see so many past and current members, as well as staff, running.

CUPE Ontario elections

On April 28^th delegates re-elected Fred Hahn as President and made history by electing Yolanda McClean as Secretary-Treasurer (the first racialized black woman to sit in office for CUPE Ontario).

Michael Hurley, re-elected as 1^st Vice-President. Hurley has been a member of the CUPE Ontario Executive Board since 1982. He is also president of CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) since 1990 and an Ontario Regional Vice-president of CUPE National since 2000. Hurley is from the Perley-Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre in Ottawa.

Tiffany Balducci, re-elected as 2^nd Vice-President. Balducci, who was previously 3rd Vice-President of CUPE Ontario, is also the President of Durham Northumberland CUPE Council, a member of CUPE Local 1281, and previously a community organizer with Green Jobs Oshawa.

Brittany Nisbett, elected as 3^rd Vice-President. Nisbett was previously 4^th vice-president of CUPE Ontario’s Executive Board. She is a member of CUPE Local 2977, representing developmental support services workers in the Niagara Region.

Dawn Bellerose, elected as 4^th Vice-President. Bellerose served for seven years as both the Chair of the Indigenous Council and the Chair of the Human Rights Committee. She is a member of CUPE Local 1880, representing developmental service workers in Sault Ste. Marie.

Susan Gapka was acclaimed to the position of Representative – Pink Triangle. And Bryan Keith was acclaimed to the position of Representative – Northern Ontario.  Leila Paugh was acclaimed Representative – Indigenous Council. Valerie Joseph was acclaimed Representative – Racialized Workers. And Stephen Seaborn was acclaimed Representative – Retirees.

On the afternoon of April 28^th delegates strongly supported five resolutions from the university sector: strengthening occupational health and safety regarding infectious diseases, campaigning to stop privatization, pressuring employers on fair wages, and supporting Ontario Public Interest Research Group chapters.

Delegates supported trained ombudsperson to work in a survivor-centric investigative process in cases of sexual violence. Delegates also supported working with CUPE National to create and promote a suite of workshops on underfunding of community support services and the relationship between policing and the labour movement and marginalized populations.

Further, the delegates gave their strong endorsement for Resolution 36 from the provincial Executive Board. It calls for resources needed to build workers’ power through a model of high-participation and face-to-face organizing. The resolution was inspired by the school board sector’s current bargaining support campaign, Organizing to Build Power, and will position CUPE for an effective, grassroots fightback for workers’ rights in a post-pandemic world.

The Final day,

Delegates passed several important motions against healthcare privatization. Over the last four years, the Ford government has created privatized hospital services, focused its attention in long-term care almost exclusively on expanding private sector facilities, and is moving toward a massive restructuring and privatization of home care.

There was a near-unanimous vote to mobilize across sectors in support of hospital bargaining this spring and summer, as well as a similarly strong vote against the Ford government’s move to privatize home care through competitive bidding. In a related motion, delegates strongly opposed the Ford government’s plans to restructure Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), a plan that threatens the livelihood of thousands of women in the healthcare sector and will lead to further home care privatization.

Delegates also voted in favour of new education and training initiatives to understand and respond to sexual harassment and violence in the workplace, and to declare the overdose crisis as a health emergency and bring in drug policy changes to save lives.

Another resolution called on CUPE Ontario to press the national union to increase the number of injured worker specialists and representatives to service all regions of Ontario equitably. Another motion tasked CUPE Ontario to lobby AMO and governments to take all necessary steps to lessen the impacts of climate change.

The six members-at-large  were elected Amy Conwell from Local 3902, Lisa Skeete from Local 4400, Barry Conway from Local 5167, Nastaran Yadollahi from Local 79, Lisa Barker from Local 1943 and Christine Couture from Local 5335.

Michele Gardner was acclaimed Representative – Workers with Disabilities. Leila Meskine was elected Representative – Women’s. Moe Alqasem was acclaimed Representative – Young Workers. And our 3-year trustee Siobhan Hall from Local 2936 was also acclaimed.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Akua Benjamin, Professor Emeritus at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly known as Ryerson/X University).

“CUPE has a long history of recognizing and struggling against anti-Black and other forms of racism. Members of CUPE and other unions supported Toronto’s Black community demonstrations against police racism in the 1980s and 1990s,” she reminded us. “As a matter of fact key members of CUPE and other unions joined in the struggles against policing violence during the 1970s and beyond. June Veecock, Carmen Henry, Bev Johnson and others were not only union members, but supported Black community struggles against police shootings.

These women held leadership positions in Black women’s organizations. Hence they not only brought unions to the community but I believe they brought organizing against Anti-Black racism to the union movements.”

Finally, the Action Plan was finalized the endorsed by the delegates for the next two years of advocacy and planned programs.