Weekly Mobilizing Update from CUPE Ontario

Brad WalchukGeneral, News, Political Action

May 14 – May 18

Mobilizing Mondays – Week Seven

One section of the Ontario budget bill will wipe out public services as we know them. We must mobilize immediately to get Schedule 28 removed!

This section, called the Government Services and Service Providers Act, 2012, opens the door for government to privatize any public service. This would be done behind closed doors, without public accountability and could spell the end of truly public schools and hospitals.

One-minute action –The Act has been overlooked in debate. We must make sure MPPs know why it must be removed from the budget bill.

Visit budget.messageyourmpp.ca to automatically send an email to your MPP. (And forward the link to your friends!)

There is an important new message this week!

Five-minute action – Media need to be told about this dangerous privatization act. Send a letter to the editors of newspapers in your area. The more people who send letters, the more likely editors and reporters are to take notice. Email csaunders@cupe.ca to let us know where you’ve sent letters.

Twenty-minute action – Call a radio or television phone-in show. Tell them you’re concerned that the Government Services and Service Providers Act, 2012, will turn public services into a crate of Ornges! Ask them to make it the theme of a phone-in show (and email csaunders@cupe.ca when you do, so that we can get more information to the station).

Need more information about the budget? Visit cupe.on.ca/budget

Unit 1 dental eligibility during the summer months

Sathish PichikaUnit 1

Unit 1 members with contracts of 130 hours or more during the 2009-2010 academic year are eligible for the dental plan. This entitlement continues until the end of August even if you do not have an appointment in the summer terms. However, if you are no longer receiving a paycheque during the summer months, your premiums will not be paid and your coverage will lapse. Members in this situation who wish to remain on the plan are advised to pay their portion of the premium by submitting post-dated cheques in the required amount to graduate studies. The Unit 1 rates are as follows: $7.04/month (Single coverage) & $62.91/month (Family coverage).

If you have any questions or concerns about dental eligibility during the summer months, please give us a call at 905-525-9140 ext. 24003 or drop by the union office in the basement of Wentworth Hall. More information about benefits can also be found on our new website: www.cupe3906.org.

Congratulations to the first CUPE 3906 TA Award winners!

Communication OfficerCommunications, News

As announced at our last GMM, the winners of the first CUPE Local 3906 TA Award have been selected. Congratulations to everyone who was nominated as this is an indication of excellence in itself.

The winners of this year’s award are:

Bahram Marami Dizaji from Engineering

Stephen Gagne from DeGroote

Jocelyn Sakal Froese from Humanities

Congratulations to each of you!

Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate their TA or RA and be sure to watch for the awards next academic year.

Weekly Mobilizing Info from CUPE Ontario

Brad WalchukGeneral, News, Political Action

Mobilizing Mondays – Week Six

With about two weeks until the final budget vote, this is one of our last chances to get changes made to protect the vital public services that support our communities.

Over the last week, voters in France, Greece and the United Kingdom soundly rejected their governments’ austerity programs. We too can reject the cuts and build our province by insisting that our MPPs vote for growth, not cuts.

Every week, we will send you three simple actions you can take to help protect public services and get Ontario the budget it deserves. Pick one or if you can, please do all three, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

One-minute action – The last week has seen austerity governments fall across Europe. More are expected to fall this week as voters realize the pain isn’t coming with any gain. Visit budget.messageyourmpp.ca to tell your MPP that you are one of the large majority who want good public services, not dangerous cuts. (And follow budget news at cupe.on.ca/budget!)

You can send a new message every week!

Five-minute action – Make an appointment to see your MPP and call Maureen Giuliani at CUPE Ontario (905-739-9739). She can assist you with speaking notes and meeting preparation. Check out the Lobby Kit at http://cupe.on.ca/d1805/budget-2012-lobby-kit

Twenty-minute action – Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. You can use the text at messageyourmpp.ca as a guide, but also highlight effects the cuts will have on your family or your community. In communities that have lost manufacturing jobs, public services provide most of the good jobs and are the backbone of the local economy. Highlight the services that allow you to go to work, such as child care and long-term care, or that allow people to live with dignity. Or focus on school or hospital closures if those are expected in your community. Pick one thing to make the letter personal. If you need help, email Craig Saunders in CUPE communications at csaunders@cupe.ca

Need more information about the budget? Visit cupe.on.ca/budget

Weekly Mobilizing Information from CUPE Ontario

Brad WalchukGeneral, News, Political Action

Mobilizing Mondays – Week Five

Last week, the Ontario Liberals swung a deal that allowed the budget to pass a key vote.

One important change introduced a new 2% surtax for people making more than $500,000 a year. That’s something almost every Ontarian agreed is an important step in preserving the vital public services on which our communities rely.

But the government said it will not use the new revenue to avoid cuts. What they’ve left us with is a budget that increases taxes, but at the same time kills jobs, cuts public services and hurts communities.

The good news is that the budget is not a done deal. There is still time for us to win amendments that will preserve public services. We all need to tell our MPPs the budget must change.

Every week, we will send you three simple actions you can take to help protect public services and get Ontario the budget it deserves. If you can, please do all three, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

One-minute action –Ontarians do not agree with the government’s budget cuts, and Liberal voters are some of the most unhappy. Visit budget.messageyourmpp.ca to let your MPP know that you are one of the large majority who want good public services. (And check out the poll results at cupe.on.ca/budget!)

You can send a new message every week!

Five-minute action – Make an appointment to see your MPP and call Maureen Giuliani at CUPE Ontario (905-739-9739). She can assist you with speaking notes and meeting preparation.

Check out the Lobby Kit at http://cupe.on.ca/d1805/budget-2012-lobby-kit

Twenty-minute action – Fax Dwight Duncan. Follow this link to a template fax that you can send to the finance minister. But don’t just send yours, get your co-workers to fill in their information and send 10, 20, 100 or more!

Need more information about the budget? Visit cupe.on.ca/budget

Weekly Mobilizing Message from Cupe Ontario

Brad WalchukFinance, General, News, Political Action

Whack ‘Em Wednesday – Week Four

On Monday, the Ontario Liberals swung a deal that allowed the budget to pass a key vote.

Because so much was changing, CUPE Ontario decided to delay our weekly Mobilizing Mondays email until today.

As a result, here is Whack ‘Em Wednesday. We need to whack the MPPs with the message that the budget still isn’t good enough for Ontario.

The budget will kill jobs, cut public services and hurt communities. The budget is not a done deal. There is still time for us to win amendments that will preserve the vital public services on which every Ontarian relies, every day. We need to add our voice by telling all MPPs the budget must change.

Every week, we will send you three simple actions you can take to help protect public services and get Ontario the budget it deserves. If you can, please do all three, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.

One-minute action– Friend your MPP on Facebook. Then write a status update about the budget. If you use @ and your MPP’s name, they’ll be alerted to your message.

Sample message: Budget amendments are chump change. Still waiting for a budget that protects services and programs in my community. [Better yet, point to a program you or your family rely on that’s being attacked]

Five-minute action– Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Say that you support increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations, but only to preserve quality public services. If it’s published, let CUPE Ontario know at info@cupe.on.ca

Twenty-minute action– Make an appt to see your MPP and call Maureen Giuliani at CUPE Ontario (905-739-9739), who assist with speaking notes and meeting preparation.

Need more information about the budget? Visit cupe.on.ca/budget

Mobilizing Mondays, Get Involved! Week 2

Communication OfficerEvents, News

Mobilizing Mondays – Week Two

On March 27, the Ontario government released an austerity budget that includes billions of dollars in public service cuts. It is a budget that will kill jobs, gut public services and hurt communities. We need to tell our MPPs that they must amend the budget.

This is the second Mobilizing Monday. Every week, we will send you three simple actions you can take to help protect public services and get Ontario the budget it deserves. If you can, please do all three, and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
One-minute action

Visit budget.messageyourmpp.ca and enter your address to automatically send your MPP an email. You can do this even if you have visited the site and sent a message before. A new message will be posted every week.
Five-minute action

Email five friends or family members and ask them to also go to budget.messageyourmpp.ca. The more emails MPPs get, the more likely they are to push to remove the worst cuts from the budget.

Also share the link with your followers and friends on Twitter and Facebook!
20-minute action

Call your MPP’s constituency office and request a meeting to discuss the budget. You can find a lobby guide with information to help you with this meeting at cupe.on.ca/budget. Let CUPE Ontario and your district council know so that we can help you prepare and track which MPPs are getting these requests.

Congratulations to the new Executive!

Nancy MacBainNews

At the Annual General Meeting last night a new Executive was elected for 2012-13 year. Your new executive members are:

President – Anthony Gracey
Vice President – Diana Zawadzki
Vice President External – Blake McCall
Secretary Treasurer – Herman Poon
Recording Secretary – Angela Harrison
Chief Steward Unit 1 – Ian Myhra
Grievance Officer – Hayley Goodchild
Communications Officer – Will Jaques
Health & Safety Officer – Mitch LaPointe
Equity Officer – Sarah Batten
Benefits & Advocacy Officer – Rebecca Strung
Postings Officer – Nick Longaphy
International Officer –  Valentin Cassano

There are nominations for the positions of Chief Steward – Units 2 & 3 that will go forward to the executive committee next week. Elections were unable to be conducted for these two positions due to lack of quorum.

Congratulations to the new executive, and  a huge thanks to outgoing executive members for your excellent service!

CUPE 3906 TA/RA Award – Nominations EXTENDED

Nancy MacBainEvents, News

In recognition of the diverse work carried out by TAs and RAs (in lieu) in the various Faculties across McMaster, CUPE Local 3906 is proud to announce it will be giving out TA awards to members.

Successful candidates will receive a $200.00 prize, a letter of recognition from the current CUPE 3906 Executive, a copy of the nomination form and a certificate of achievement.

Any CUPE Local 3906 member may be nominated for the award by their students, fellow TAs or RAs (in lieu) or by supervising Professors.

There will be six awards given in total, one for each of the following faculties: DeGroote School of Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Science

The nomination form is available here. The completed form must be returned to the CUPE 3906 office in room B108 of Wentworth House (below the Phoenix) by Friday April 6th. Forms can also be emailed here.  The successful nominees will be notified by email in April and will receive their prizes at the end of our April General Membership Meeting (April 25).

Correction in the form: if you are nominating your colleagues, you can have two other TAs to sign the bottom of the form (“Student 1” and “Student 2” signatures) instead of two students.