News

CGEU Constitutional Convention

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Dear CGEU,

We are excited to announce that the CGEU Constitutional Convention will be held the weekend of April 4, 2020 at the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. More details on the meeting (including voting policies/procedure, location/accessibility, childcare, meeting rules and meeting outline) can be found here.

Registration for the Constitutional Convention will open by February 29.

We continue to seek input on the direction of the CGEU. In addition to Listening Sessions, we ask that you complete this survey and share it widely. (If there is no Listening Session in your area – please send us an email to find out about how to organize one, or see below for the webinar schedule!)

Ongoing in the CGEU

Upcoming Listening Session at York University in Toronto Jan 27 1:30 PM – Overgrad Room. All are welcome. For more info on this meeting contact cgeu2019@gmail.com.

Webinars For those unable to attend a Listening Session in person, we are holding Webinars (Zoom link, Meeting ID: 846 020 767):
* Jan 17 5:00 PM EST
* Jan 26 8:00 PM EST
* Jan 27 6:00 PM EST
* Jan 28 1:00 PM EST
* Jan 31 5:00 PM EST

2020 Annual CGEU Conference – Save the date! The Annual CGEU Conference will be held the weekend of May 30th in Urbana, Illinois – hosted by UIUC GEO, IFT Local 6300!

We are launching a sister union program to help unions that are emergent or facing challenges connect with experienced unions. Anyone can join the sister union program: recognized unions, unrecognized and just forming groups, undergraduates, graduates, postdocs and adjunct organizations – are all welcome! To join, please fill out this form and we will be in touch with you!

Contract & Bylaws sharing We are building an open repository of collective agreements and bylaws. Please add your bylaws and collective agreements here if they are not there already, or send to cgeu2019@gmail.com.

Join our calls! The CGEU Coordinating Committee meets Sundays at 7:00 PM EST throughout January – all welcome (Zoom link, Meeting ID: 846 020 767).

This email likely did not make it out to all of those active in CGEU. Please share this email widely!

In solidarity,

CGEU Coordinating Committee

Coordinating Committee Vacancies + January Listening Sessions

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Hello Everyone,

We have two resignations from the CGEU Coordinating Committee and we are looking for two replacement committee members. If you are interested in serving in this role, please email your name to cgeu2019@gmail.com by January 15 at noon EST. In the event of a contested election, the CGEU 2019 delegates will vote on the nominees.

We are currently organizing Listening Sessions around Canada and the US to hear what you want out of CGEU. To find out about sessions in your area, or to organize a session, please email us at cgeu2019@gmail.com.

Important Dates

Jan 10th and 11th – Springfield, Massachusetts – All Day
The Massachusetts Teachers Association is inviting UMass bargaining teams, leaders, and contract action teams to the Higher Ed Powering Up for Bargaining 2020 Multi-union conference Friday and Saturday, January 10th & 11th in Springfield. AFT units from UMass Dartmouth, UAF/UAW, and SEIU 888 will be involved too, and we welcome the other coalition locals as well. This event includes UMass GEO unions from Amherst, Boston and Lowell. We will be holding a CGEU listening session during this event, the exact time and location TBD based on the final event schedule. Other CGEU affiliated unions may be able to attend as observers. For more information or to register, contact: Chris Whynacht at GEO@umb.edu

Upcoming Listening Sessions in Toronto

▪ Toronto (University of Toronto St George campus): Jan 13 6:30 PM – WoodsWorth College Room 121 (119 St. George Street)
▪ Toronto (York University): Jan 27 1:30 PM – Overgrad Room

All are welcome. For more info on these meetings, the space, or accessibility contact cgeu2019@gmail.com.

Webinars
For those unable to attend a Listening Session in person, we are holding Webinars (Zoom link, Meeting ID: 846 020 767):

▪ Jan 13 7:00 PM EST
▪ Jan 14 4:00 PM EST
▪ Jan 17 5:00 PM EST
▪ Jan 26 8:00 PM EST
▪ Jan 28 1:00 PM EST
▪ Jan 31 5:00 PM EST

2020 CGEU Meetings – Save the dates!

▪ The Toronto Constitutional Meeting for Re-foundation will be held the weekend of April 4th, 2020 – more details coming January 15th!
▪ The Annual CGEU Conference will be held the weekend of May 30th in Urbana, Illinois – hosted by UIUC GEO, IFT Local 6300!

Ongoing in the CGEU

We are launching a sister union program! Coming out of CGEU 2019 we wanted to foster greater connection between unions year round and help unions that are emergent or facing specific challenges connect with established or experienced unions. Anyone can join the sister union program: recognized unions, unrecognized and just forming groups, undergraduates, graduates, postdocs and adjunct organizations – are all welcome! To join, please fill out this form and we will be in touch with you!

Contract & Bylaws sharing We are building an open repository of collective agreements and bylaws (i.e. that you can browse for language your union may want to adopt). Please add your bylaws and collective agreements here if they are not there already, or send to cgeu2019@gmail.com.

Join our calls! The CGEU Coordinating Committee will be meeting Sundays at 7:00 PM EST throughout January – all are welcome to join (Zoom link, Meeting ID: 846 020 767).

This email likely did not make it out to all of those active in CGEU. Please share this email widely!

In solidarity,

CGEU Coordinating Committee

The Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions is online:
CGEU: website | facebook
2019 Conference: website | facebook | twitter | instagram

Solidarity with Striking Teachers and December Delegates’ Meeting

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Stop the Cuts: Secondary School Teachers to Strike this Wednesday

Today, OSSTF will engage in a one-day strike action across Ontario to protest the lack of progress in contract talks and the continuing cuts to education services and programs. The deceitful attitude of Minister Lecce calls for a concerted response from the entire labour movement.

ACTION: Picketing and leafletting

WHEN: Wednesday, December 4 (see locations for times)

WHERE:

  • 1 Civic Court Centre, Etobicoke (TDSB office) – 10 am to 2 pm
  • 140 Borough Drive, Scarborough (TDSB office) – 10 am to 2 pm
  • 5050 Yonge Street, North York (TDSB office) – 10 am to 2 pm
  • 2220 King Rd, #1, King City (Stephen Lecce’s office) – 9 am to 3 pm
  • All high schools and adult education centres in Toronto and York Region – daytime pickets

Please note that there is no rally planned for Queen’s Park.

Here are some suggestions from OSSTF for solidarity work by union members across the GTA:

  • Wear red and/or black as a symbol of solidarity and tag your social media posts with #RedforEd
  • Contact your MPP, the Minister of Education and Doug Ford decrying the cuts to education and demanding a negotiated settlement that protects publicly funded education and provides a fair settlement for its workers. The resources at hereforstudents.ca make this fast and easy!
  • Honk and give thumbs up to striking workers as you drive past picket lines
  • Share your support for teachers and education workers on your social media accounts. Follow the hashtags #NoCutsToEducation and #CutsHurtKids
  • Engage in conversations with neighbours, friends, family and colleagues about the importance of a well-funded public school system and ask them to contact their MPP, the Minister of Education and Premier Ford.
  • Organize a team to take OSSTF flyers to local public spaces and give them out. Find flyers in English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Tamil, Urdu, Farsi, and Punjabi on our website.

Get regular updates on the status of bargaining via OSSTF’s campaign website, bargainingforeducation.ca. Read more and download other resources at:
Delegates’ Meeting & Location Change

This Thursday, December 5, we will meet for our year-end Delegates’ Meeting. We’ll be marking a number of important occasions, especially the 30th anniversary of the École Polytechnique Massacre in which 14 women were murdered because of their gender. We’ll also be celebrating the many fights and victories our affiliates have undertaken this year, including SEIU Local 2’s Justice for Janitors win, the Stop the Subway Upload victory, the Bill 66 fight, climate activism, and new organizing around precarious workers.

Please remember that our meeting location has changed. In addition, our January meeting will be held on the first Tuesday of the month to avoid meeting during the last week of the holidays. Mark your calendars instead for the following dates and location:

December Meeting
WHEN: Thursday, December 5, 7:30 pm

WHERE: 1377 Lawrence Ave. E. (view map)

January Meeting

WHEN: Tuesday, January 7, 7:30 pm

WHERE: 1377 Lawrence Ave. E. (view map)

Communities, Not Cuts—Constituency Week

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MPPs are in their ridings next week and CUPE members across the province are taking action to make sure they hear our message loud and clear: support communities, not cuts!

Join us at the following events: 

November 13: 4 PM–5:30 PM
Tell Peter Bethlenfalvy We Support Communities, Not Cuts!
Hosted by Durham Region Labour Council and Durham Northumberland CUPE District Council
1550 Kingston Rd, Pickering, Ontario
https://www.facebook.com/events/739834223095193/

November 14: 11am
Niagara Communities Not Cuts Rally
Sam Oosterhoff’s office – 4961 King. St. Beamsville, ON

November 14: 12pm
Health and Safety/Injured Workers Conference—Rally at Doug Ford’s office
823 Albion Rd., Etobicoke, ON M9V 1A3
https://www.facebook.com/events/2874273592583809/

November 15: 11am
CACO Rally at Christine Elliott’s Office in Support of Ambulance Services
Unit 22, 16635 Yonge St.
Newmarket ON L3X 1V6

November 15: 4:30pm
Resistance Rally at Vic Fedeli’s office
Organized by North Bay District Labour Council
165 Main St. E, North Bay, ON P1B 1A9​
https://www.facebook.com/events/961132007567034/​