VICTORIA—CUPE BC’s 54th annual Convention wrapped up in Victoria today, with delegates electing a new Executive Board (including two new Diversity Vice President positions,) approving a new two-year Action Plan and passing resolutions to guide the union’s activities and priorities over the next two years.
President Paul Faoro and Secretary-Treasurer Trevor Davies were acclaimed to continue in their positions, and Cindy McQueen, Tanya Paterson, Karen Ranalletta and Michelle Waite were elected to serve as General Vice Presidents.
Delegates also elected four Diversity Vice Presidents (DVPs,) two of which are new positions on the Executive Board:
DVP, Indigenous Workers: Debra Merrier (Alternate DVP Danica Hansen-Hughes.)
DVP, Persons with Disabilities Frank Lee (Alternate DVP Sunera Samarakoon.)
DVP, Pink Triangle: Kathy McMahon (Alternate DVP Dean Coates.)
DVP, Workers of Colour: Michelle Alexander (Alternate DVP Drew Parris.)
Elected in regional caucuses to serve as Regional Vice Presidents and Alternates were:
RVP, Fraser Valley: Rod Isaac
Bryan Bickley (Alternate)
RVP, Kootenays: Ken Vaughan-Evans
Anita Early (Alternate)
RVP, Metro: Sarah Bjorknas
Sheryl Burns
Paul Simpson
Andrew Ledger (Alternate)
RVP, North: Karen Wong
Kelly Boudreau
RVP, Okanagan: Nicole Edmondson
Jeanne Marr (Alternate)
RVP, Vancouver Island: Amber Leonard
Kirk Mercer
Dan MacBeth (Alternate)
Convention 2017 featured keynote addresses from BC NDP Leader John Horgan, AFSCME President Lee Saunders, CUPE National President Mark Hancock and National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury, Pivot Legal Society Executive Director Katrina Pacey and BC Federation of Labour President Irene Lanzinger.
“I wish all delegates a safe trip home after a very busy and productive convention,” said CUPE BC President Paul Faoro. “CUPE BC is a political organization, and we make no apologies for that. As we adjourn convention with just ten days left in the provincial election, I urge all delegates—and all 85,000 CUPE members across our province—to work as hard as they can to elect a new government on May 9.
“All our members have felt the effects of Christy Clark’s term in office, and they can see the damage the BC Liberal government has done to our communities. At the end of the day, regardless of which candidates members choose to support on May 9, please vote.”
