When members have deaths in the family, tragic events or they become sick, or a monumental event such as a birth of a child, we send flowers or baskets to any member - but we do not know unless someone tells us.  There are privacy concerns about the Employer disclosing this information to us.  Be a good colleague, friend and union sister and brother and let the office know.

Many of our members, especially the younger ones, have grown up with most things in our society being in order and it is unusual for them to discover something that isn't automatically right.  Only 100 years ago, working day was 14 hours long and the weekend was only one day off.   We work to improve things constantly, but it takes effort, strategy, time, resources and membership support and communication.  There are many religions, opinions and philosophies about life in the world.  One thing they all agree on is that the purpose of life for all human beings is to try and leave the world better than we found it.  But things are not simple, the world is a complex place.  Rather than to be frustrated when something is shown not to be fair in your view, get involved, let your steward know, send us an email or call the President, and be a positive force for change.

We are trying.  But we are all the union.  The Union is not a business.  It is operated by workers, like you. In the past, we have tried to get our members to provide us with their personal email address, and many have refused seeing it as an unreasonable request.  We can't notify you if we can't reach you.  Please call the office and provide us with your email address and keep your contact info current.  Check this website, your union bulletin board and come to a meeting.

We ask our members to please not denigrate the union publicly and engage in sharp criticism.   We encourage discussion, criticism and debate.  CUPE is a democratic institution.  And as has been remarked before, the problem with anything to do with people is that it has people - and people are not perfect.  If we have made a mistake, hold us to account.  But please do so directly and in the appropriate forum, vote in the elections, run for the executive board, or help someone; but sharp or denigrating public criticism that is often uninformed and based on false assumptions hurts, and divides us, and makes it more difficult for us to build the solidarity as workers, as unionists, as Canadians and as human beings.