OPSEU’s 100 Year Anniversary Convention
This year's OPSEU Convention was held April 6 - 9 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This annual
event was also a significant milestone
as it celebrated the 100th year anniversary of the OPSEU organization.
The
rise of O.P.S.E.U. from its humble beginnings as the C.S.A.O in 1911 to the powerful organization it is today was presented in a video entitled
"A
Century Strong....A Confident Future, OPSEU/SEFPO 1911-2011".
This CD format video is available on loan from the Local 331 office.
Our
local sent 5 delegates, 5 alternates, and 1 observer to Toronto.
In
addition to the regular work of constitutions, budgets, and resolutions, a
big item on the agenda was the election of the Union President. 908
ballots were cast this morning and 621 of them strongly returned Warren
'Smokey' Thomas to his third term. Smokey and newly elected Vice
President Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida who replaces outgoing V.P. Patty Rout, will
continue "to work for the kind of Ontario that workers want, a good jobs
economy where public sector programs are not sacrificed to satisfy corporate greed."
Smokey
and Eddy are joined by recently elected Regional Vice Presidents, who were
ranked by the Delegates today in the following order:
2nd Vice President Nancy Pridham, 3rd
V.P. Jamie Tocker, 4th V.P. Gino Franche, 5th V.P. Dave Lundy, 6th V.P. Pete
Wright, 7th V.P. Mike Grimaldi, 8th V.P. Sue Brown.
