CUPE BC Convention
April 2022 Victoria, BC

by Liz Stockdale, Acting Secretary

“We are one hundred and four thousand strong in this province and the only way we win is when we stand together.” Karen Ranalletta, President CUPE BC

My experience at Convention this time was in a lot of ways a stark contrast to the previous in-person convention I attended in 2017. Five years ago, at my first convention I remember feeling frankly disheartened, as I felt that some marginalized voices, including the voices of women in our union, were still fighting to be heard or valued. That was not the case at the 2022 convention, where I saw/heard women’s voices, indigenous voices, the voices of the most marginalized workers in our union being heard, valued and supported. I found inspiration to continue my own commitment to the membership through a real mandate to create equity, diversity and reconciliaction. Our local has some work to do. Bargaining will be a challenge, but one we can meet together. The executive will need you to be active with us, voting on proposed changes to our bylaws towards more inclusivity and generally working together as a solid membership towards breaking down barriers for full participation in our local and our workplaces.