May 30, 2017 - Our Local Annual Delegate Meeting (LADM) kicked off yesterday in Edmonton, Alberta with 156 delegates, guests and staff in attendance.
The LADM is being held at the Chateau Lacombe from May 29-June 2.
The day started with opening remarks from our National President Lee Riggs, calling for unity and to move forward together.
“This week, each one of us will need to make decisions that will shape the future of our Local as we continue to integrate with the United Steelworkers,” National President Lee Riggs stated. “We all need to show our leadership, and that starts by addressing our finances, approving resolutions that will move our Local forward in a positive way, and leaving this room at the end of the week united.”
During his opening remarks, National President Lee Riggs showed delegates a video titled “The Power of Unity” from the 2017 USW International Convention held last month.
Following the opening remarks from our National President, our International Vice President Carol Landry, welcomed delegates. She recognized Ron Palmer and Nancy McCurrach who are recipients of the prestigious Jefferson Award. Sister Landry also spoke of the power of unity by standing together and fighting together.
“Through unity, we learned to stand together, fight together, at a time when so many would like to see us fall apart,” stated International Vice President Carol Landry. “We must be ready to stand up and fight back.”
She also thanked everyone in the room for the work they do for the union and the members.
Our National Director for Canada Ken Neumann then addressed delegates on behalf of the USW Canadian National Office. Brother Neumann stated we are two and half years through our merger and halfway through our merger agreement transition period. He spoke about how we are still going through the integration process and how every merger has been a different process and a learning process. He stated that with every merger, our union becomes stronger and more diverse, and this holds true with the creation of our Local.
“I truly believe that over the past two and a half years since our merger, we have built a union that demonstrates the power of unity,” stated Brother Neumann. “The union is you. This is your union. We need to be in the forefront to be united and show the power of unity. We all must leave here with one voice and be united.”
Brother Neumann addressed a number of other issues including the steel crisis in Canada, 25 years since the Westray disaster, the USW affiliation with UNI, the upcoming USW Telecom Council, Hang Up on Abuse campaign, and organizing the unorganized.
Delegates had the opportunity to watch Rev. Dr. William Barber II electrify the 2017 USW International Convention crowd with an inspiring speech.
Before adopting the agenda for the week, delegates took a moment to remember the members that passed away last year. Watch the In Memoriam scroll here.
Nominations for the following positions were as follows:
VICE-PRESIDENT BRITISH COLUMBIA (1) - 1 YEAR
• Betty Carrasco
• Cameron MacPherson
SECRETARY-TREASURER (1) - 1 YEAR
• Colin Brehaut
• Michael Phillips
FINANCE COMMITTEE BC (1) - 2 YEARS
• Sean Royds - ACCLAIMED
FINANCE COMMITTEE ALBERTA (1) - 2 YEARS
• John Alma
• Ashok Tripathi
FINANCE COMMITTEE AT LARGE (1) - 2 YEARS
• John Alma
• Sébastien Whissell
BYLAWS COMMITTEE QUEBEC (1) - 2 YEARS
• Maxime Deveau - ACCLAIMED
BYLAWS COMMITTEE AT LARGE (2) - 2 YEARS
• David Skrober - ACCLAIMED
• Rita-Lisa Holopainen - ACCLAIMED
BYLAWS COMMITTEE ONTARIO (1) – 1 YEAR
• Erika Crowe - ACCLAIMED
EDUCATION COMMITTEE BC (1) - 2 YEARS
• Nancy McCurrach - ACCLAIMED
EDUCATION COMMITTEE ONTARIO (1) - 2 YEARS
• Natasha Aodan - ACCLAIMED
EDUCATION COMMITTEE AT LARGE (1) - 2 YEARS
• Michelle Ravary
• Diana Latif
SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE ALBERTA (1) - 2 YEARS
• Arjay Plain - ACCLAIMED
SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE AT LARGE (2) - 2 YEARS
• Keven Robert-Keays – ACCLAIMED
• Minh Khoi Chau - ACCLAIMED
SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE AT LARGE (1) - 1 YEAR REMAINDER OF TERM
• Sabrina Daniells
• Steven MacIntosh
Elections will be held on Wednesday, May 31st, 2017.
Stay tuned for more updates on Facebook and Twitter.
In Solidarity,
United Steelworkers Local 1944