CUPE PEI represents and supports all of Prince Edward Island's CUPE locals

The CUPE PEI Women’s Committee has a mandate to advocate for diverse women’s leadership at all levels in CUPE, to increase and support the active participation of women in influencing CUPE’s direction, and to fight for diverse women’s issues in CUPE, within the labour movement and in our communities, locally, nationally and internationally.

Statement of Purpose The CUPE PEI’s Women’s Committee mandate is to advise and advocate within CUPE to:

Develop and promote diverse women’s leadership at the local and division levels of CUPE.
Increase and support the active participation of diverse women in influencing CUPE’s direction.
Fight for diverse women’s issues within CUPE, inside the labour movement, communities, locally, provincially and nationally.

Gives guidance to the work of Divisions.
Helps build capacity within the union.
Promotes women’s issues at CUPE PEI’s Annual Convention by submitting an annual report, resolutions, organizing a Women’s Caucus, providing materials and handouts on information tables etc.
Meets a minimum of 2 times per year and reports back to the division after each meeting.
Liaison with the Maritime Equality Rep. and work closely with the CUPE PEI Equality Committee.
Work and support other labour women’s committees.
Support local, provincial and national campaigns.

The CUPE PEI women’s committee met twice this year. Members of the committee: Donna Gormley, Paramedics and Atlantic Baptist Nursing Home; Pauline Gass, Municipalities; Melisa Bruce, UPEI; Wanda Livingston, Health; Lori MacKay, Education; Shirley Johnston, Division Liaison.

We are pleased to host the 3rd annual women’s luncheon at this year’s convention. We hope you can join us. We feel the lunch hour format is a better option for time to caucus then early morning. This is a time for women to meet other women and to discuss issues that pertain to women.

The women’s committee began work this year to gather information about our CUPE PEI membership. As you may have noticed your local has been asked to fill out a survey. The purpose of the survey is to get a snap shot of whom we represent on PEI. This information will be used by the committee to help direct future objectives. The work will continue throughout the next year and we hope to have more information for you at our next convention.

We would like to thank our Staff person Vallie Sterns for her help and guidance over the last year and wish her well in her future endeavours. The women’s committee is your committee, so please feel free to contact a member of the committee if you have any questions or concerns you would like addressed.

In Solidarity Lori MacKay (Chair)
Melissa Bruce (Secretary)
Wanda Livingston
Shirley Johnston
Donna Gormley
Pauline Gass

We would like direction from the members as to the areas that they want to see work done.

Defeat Bill C-391 The fate of the Canadian Firearms Registry lies in the hands of our Members of Parliament. This vital tool keeps our communities safe and saves lives. Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees work on the front lines in home care, children services, shelters, hospitals, schools, as paramedics and Police officers. These members observe firsthand the impact of domestic violence on women and children. Sometimes these members are under threat because of their work. Information from the gun registry helps protect them in their work places. The Canadian Firearms Registry helps to protect public sector workers who come under threat. Not only is the registry an individual health and safety issue, but it is a public safety issue. CUPE members are gun owners and support the work of the Coalition of Gun Control. Gun control is an inextricable element of ending violence against women, especially domestic violence and crimes of passion. 65% of women murder victims are killed by their intimate partners. Access to a firearm has been recognized internationally as a significant risk factor for domestic violence. The Canadian Firearms Registry has made huge strides in decreasing the rates of homicide and may have helped prevent incidents of domestic violence and threats of violence. Bill C-391 will cause great harm to women and to workers on the front line of public safety. Bill C-391 should be defeated. I ask for all Islanders to contact their Member of Parliament and Demand that every MP votes to defeat Bill C-391 and save the Canadian Firearms Registry!

The Women’s Committee met twice this past year. The members of the committee are; Karyn Noble, Division Liaison; Melissa Bruce, UPEI; Wanda Livingston, West Health; Shirley Johnston, East Health; Pauline Gass, Municipalities; Susan Cole, West Education; and Lori Mackay, East Education. Topics discussed by the committee include, women’s caucus, convention resolutions, union education, International Women’s Day, and December 6th.

CUPE women’s caucus are a relatively new practice for CUPE PEI, so the Women’s Committee spent a lot of time considering what is the best for the members on PEI. The women’s caucus at the 2009 CUPE PEI Convention was a success for which we were very pleased. Three of the four resolutions that were discussed at the caucus were voted in favor of on the convention floor. Many of the women who attended the caucus spoke at the microphone encouraging members to support our initiatives. The committee looked at what worked and what hasn’t worked at the recent caucuses and have made some changes for this year. Most notably, it will be called a Women’s Luncheon instead of a caucus. We encourage all the women attending convention to please join us. Just pick up your lunch and we will meet in a room that will be advertised in the convention kits.

The Women’s Committee worked in partnership with the Equality Committee and the Maritimes Region Equality Representative, Sister Maureen Michaud. We discussed the Equality Bargaining Conference with the Education and Equality representatives. We hope the Conference will take place in the fall of 2010. A press release was distributed to mark International Women’s Day by the Equality Representative for which the committee gave their input. The committee supported the PEI Federation of Labour with the newly established December 6th Monument in the City of Summerside. As well, the committee helped with the Canadian Labour Congress’ Postcard Campaign to mark the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. We look forward to working further with an Equality Coalition of the PEI Federation of Labour.

Two very important issues that we feel are important for women’s involvement in their union are local womens’ committees and childcare policies. We encourage locals to consider establishing both. Members of the Women’s Committee would be glad to help you out if you are interested in making them a priority for your local. Education is also an important factor in women’s involvement in the union. The committee is very encouraged by the number of women who are participating in Union Development Courses. The Women Breaking Barriers Course is going to take place very shortly and we are excited to have it back on the Island again!

The committee would like to thank The Division for their support and cooperation; especially for the accommodations made to convention so that we are able to host our Women’s Luncheon.

The CUPE P.E.I. Women’s Committee met on March 11th, 2009 at the CUPE P.E.I. office in Charlottetown. The meeting was very productive with information on CUPE P.E.I. Women’s Committee Mandate and Guidelines. The Committee Members discussed how to actively influence women’s issues in CUPE. To also work and support other labor women’s committees. The Committee also discussed a number of Resolutions and Constitutional Resolutions to put forth at the CUPE P.E.I. Convention. The Committee covered a lot of important information in one meeting. I feel as a Committee member, with the Mandate that was put forth, the CUPE P.E.I. Women’s Committee will be very interesting and active in accomplishing their goals.

Please join us for our Women’s Caucus at the CUPE P.E.I. Division Convention on May 14th, 2009.

Karyn Noble- Division Liaison
Lori MacKay - Chair
Shirley Johnson - Local 1778
Melissa Bruce - Recording Secretary - Local 1870
Wanda Livingstone - Local 1051
Susan Cole - Local 1145