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CAW Local 229 is an amalgamated local consisting of over
35 bargaining units in the Districts of Thunder Bay and Rainy River/Kenora. An
executive board and delegates to CAW councils are elected from the total
membership every three years. General membership meetings are the highest
authority of the union, and are held monthly in the City of Thunder Bay. Between
general membership meetings the highest authority is the Executive Board who
will meet monthly. Between meetings of the Executive Board the administrative
authority of the Local shall be vested in the President of the Local.
In addition to general meetings, this local union has an
annual Executive Council meeting established to provide broad representation to
all units of the Local. Each unit is entitled to at least one delegate, normally
the Unit Chairperson. The purpose of the Council meetings is to review the
business of the Local, make recommendations to the Executive Board, and attend
any educational sessions.
Our current Executive is made up of a cross-section of
members from across our Local. They are as follows:
Barb Maki, President:
Barb Maki served as the Vice President for the local union prior to succeeding
Andy Savela as President in 2007. Working for 15 years in the hospital sector as
a Registered Practical Nurse has provided her with an insight and understanding
of the rank and file member’s concerns in this sector. Barb has participated in
the collective bargaining process for the Northern Hospitals as well as
bargaining numerous progressive agreements for units from our amalgamated local.
She is currently serving a three (3) year term on the CAW Ontario Health Care
Council Executive as the Vice President. In order to advocate for health care
concerns in our community and the outlying area Maki has taken on the position
of co-chair for the Thunder Bay Health Care Coalition which operates in
conjunction with the Ontario Health Care Coalition. Involvement in various
projects pertaining to women’s issues, health care concerns and poverty issues
have been pivotal to helping her develop a deepened commitment to social
justice.
Suzanne Pulice,
Vice President: Suzanne has worked as an RPN in the City Homes
for 27 years with 26 of those years being on the Alzheimer’s units. She has been
a union activist for many years, she has been a steward and the unit chair at
Pioneer Ridge and has sat on many committees over the years.. Has sat on the
Executive Board as a trustee and the Director of Women’s Issue. Was the chair of
the women’s committee since the beginning of Local 229 until she stepped down
and was elected to the position of Vice President for the local. She has
actively advocated for women’s issues particularly the homeless and women who
have been victims of violence. She also sits on the board of the Clothing
Assistance Mission who is in partnership with local 229 in the Undercover
Project. Suzanne is a dedicated individual who puts the needs of the members
first and foremost at all times. She is a definite asset to the local executive
board.
Jason Cummings, Financial Secretary:
Jason on his 3rd term on the executive board and comes from the Roseview
workplace. A strong labour activist Jason is the local executive liaison for the
Local Health and Safety Committee. Jason is very knowledgeable in a variety of
health care and labour-related issues. Jason also works to assist members with
their WSIB/LTD claims.
Jody Powers Recording Secretary:
A Registered Practical Nurse who has worked for the past 21 years at Dawson
Court on the special care unit, he has been the Unit Chair since 2004. He has
been on the Executive Board since the spring of 2006. Jody currently sits as a
Trustee on the Nursing Homes and Related Industries Pension Plan. Brother Powers
is one of our many graduates of the four (4) week Paid Education Leave Training.
Jody has been the local’s Community Based Organizer since September of 2006.
Marg Arnone, Chair of
Retirees: Retirement is not the end of union activity for CAW
members. Every local union with at least 25 retired members can form a Retired
Workers Chapter. Local 229 formed their 1st Retiree Chapter on June 19, 2006.
The committee meets at 2 P.M. on the third Monday of each month except for July
and August. In addition to the social aspect of these meetings, members discuss
and lobby on issues important to the Local and the National Retirees Advisory
Executive. In September 2007 Sister Arnone was elected to the National Retirees
Advisory Executive for a three year term. For more information and to join the
Local 229 Retirees Committee contact Marg Arnone at 474-4229 or macaw229@tbaytel.net.
Everyone welcome!
“Retired from the job, not the fight”
Kathleen Swerhun, Director of Women’s Issues:
Kathleen is the current Unit Chairperson at Dawson Court. She is extremely
active in the community taking on a variety of campaigns for the local union.
Sister Swerhun is the acting co-chair for the Undercover Project which the union
has established in partnership with the Clothing Assistance Mission.
Connie Thompson,
Director Outlying Areas: Connie is a experienced Registered Practical
Nurse from the Nipigon District Hospital. She serves as Unit Chairperson for her
workplace. Sister Thompson has also taken an active role on the RPN Utilization
Task Force as a result of the Northern Hospital Bargaining. She has taken a key
role in promoting RPN utilization and education in our local.
Peter Sabourin, Trustee:
Peter is employed with the Thunder Bay Catholic School Board and has been active
in the union for many years. A seasoned executive board member, Peter has worked
actively to promote the CAW. He is the executive board liaison for the Local 229
Recreation Committee.
Lilly Aiello Trustee:
Lilly is the Unit Chairperson at St Joseph's Hospital the largest hospital in
Local 22. She is active locally with the Education Committee and also as a
Discussion Leader for the National Union. Sister Aiello chairs the Health Care
committee and is an active member of the Thunder Bay Health Care Coalition. She
was recently elected to the position of Recording Secretary for the Thunder Bay
District Labour Council Executive Board.
Jeremy Hayden, Trustee:
Jeremy is the newly elected Unit Chairperson at Roseview Manor. He is a
committed member of the local's Health Care Committee. Brother Hayden is a
graduate of the CAW four (4) week Paid Education Leave Training.
Kari Jefford, Sergeant at
Arms: Kari works as and Employment Councillor at YES employment
services. She was pivotal in organizing her workplace into the CAW in 2004. She
has become an experienced trade unionist and social activist. Sister Jefford
sits on the Education Committee as a discussion leader and works hard to promote
the profile of the Local Union.
Bargaining Units within the local hold their
own elections (with assistance from the Local Election Committee) for Unit
Chairperson, Stewards, and their Bargaining Committee. Units meetings are to be
held at least once every two months and ran by the Unit Chairperson. The Local
Union has several standing committees including Election,
Communications/Newsletter, Women’s, Health Care, Organizing, and Health & Safety
& Environment & WSIB (see Committees for more information). The Executive Board
will appoint one of the members to each committee as a liaison, with the
exception of the Election Committee and the Bargaining Committee’s. Each
Committee will elect a Chairperson and a Recording Secretary, and will hold
regular monthly meetings. The CAW National Office is in Toronto, but they have
several Regional Offices across the country, including Thunder Bay.
National President Ken Lewenza states “The CAW
represents 250,000 members across Canada. We are the largest and fastest growing
private sector union in the country. Our membership has grown steadily over the
years through new member organizing and union mergers. In fact, the number of
members in our union has doubled since our founding convention in 1985. This is
a testament to our union's success at the bargaining table and our willingness
to fight for the principles of social justice in Canada. As our membership has
grown and diversified over the years so too has the face of our union changed
substantially. I am proud to say that we now represent workers in all sectors of
the economy and have a strong foundation of progressive activists representing
Women, LGBT members', Workers of Colour, Aboriginals' and Young Workers'
communities.”
(CAW Council is a meeting of elected delegates
from locals across the country who meet three times a year to debate and discuss
issues)
CAW Local 229 is also bound by the Constitution
of the CAW National Union. This is available at the CAW National web site in
addition to other valuable information; www.caw.ca
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