The Saskatoon District Labour Council President and CUPE member Don MacDonald took to the convention stage to welcome CUPE Saskatchewan 2024 delegates to the city. MacDonald shared the work that SDLC affiliates, including several CUPE locals have been doing to help the build community in Saskatoon.
The delegates gathered in Saskatoon for CUPE Saskatchewan’s convention heard about the importance of political action for union members from three of CUPE’s best. Nathaniel Teed, a CUPE member now serving as NDP MLA, Cara Stelmaschuk, the recording secretary from CUPE 882, and Gina McKay, the President of CUPE Manitoba, shared their experiences and took questions from the floor.
National Secretary Treasurer Candace Renick gave her report to delegates in Saskatoon today. She delivered the good news that CUPE was growing, hiring more staff to support our growing membership base both at work, and in their communities. New permanent staff are being hired across the country, including here in Saskatchewan, to help advance the strategic directions outlined by members at the national convention in Quebec 2023.
Rennick then turned to politics, reminding delegates that the austerity of Scott Moe, and other Conservative politicians, always hurts workers. She stressed the importance of working together, challenging conservative rhetoric, and get organize to fight the right.
“This isn’t time for us to duck and hope for the best; this is the time to bolster the courage of our members, to raise expectations, to help members fight back, and to organize them for action.”
She reaffirmed the national union’s commitment to support CUPE Saskatchewan members as they organize to take their province back.
A group of young workers met this morning at the CUPE Saskatchewan Convention to talk about activism, solidarity, and their experience as young CUPE members. Two of these workers were Emily Hitchings and Wesley Griffith. Emily is following in a strong family tradition of activism within CUPE as an education worker. Wesley is working in the healthcare sector, having served as a shop steward and is looking to get more involved with his local.
Today, members of Saskatchewan’s largest union – CUPE Saskatchewan – elected Kent Peterson as their new president.
“I want to thank my fellow CUPE members for their support. They know I will fight like hell for Saskatchewan workers,” said Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “Scott Moe has been cutting and selling-off public services for years. That’s why medical wait times are out of control. It is why kids don’t have enough EAs in school. It is why wages aren’t keeping up. The workers I represent have had enough.”
