Nominations for the upcoming elections open on November 5, 2019. To access the nomination forms for each position up for election, please see your personal email; as they were emailed out today.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Returning Officer.
Between December 10 and December 16, 2019 members will elect two (2) Table Officers; eleven (11) RVP’s; and one (1) Trustees in accordance with the COPE 491 Bylaws.
Officer Positions:
President
Treasurer
Elected by a vote of the full membership.
Regional Vice-President Positions:
Region 1 – British Columbia
Region 2 – Alberta
Region 3 – Saskatchewan
Region 4 – Manitoba
Region 5A – Ontario
Region 5B – Ontario Regional Office
Region 6A – National Office/OAO
Region 6B – National Office/OAO
Region 6C – National Office/OAO
Region 7 – Maritimes
Region 8 – Atlantic
Elected by a vote of the membership in their respective regions
Trustee Positions:
3-year Trustee
Elected by a vote of the full membership.
Nominations will open November 5, 2019 and must be submitted to the Returning Officer by 4:00 P.M. on November 18, 2019; the day nominations close.
To be eligible for a nomination and election, a member must be in continuous good standing for twelve (12) consecutive months prior to date of nomination.
No nomination shall be accepted unless the member nominating has signed the nomination form and the member nominated has indicated on the form, or by other means, their willingness to stand for office. Nominations must be sent in during the nomination period. Any nominations received before or after the nomination period will not be accepted.
A complete list of candidates for office will be posted on the Local Union website on November 19, 2019.
After the closing of nominations all duly nominated candidates will be extended an opportunity to have a maximum of one (1) article included in the electronic voting system and posted on the Local Union website. The article may reference candidate websites but shall not contain any active links to external websites.
Steve Smith will serve as Returning Officer during the election. Voting will be conducted using electronic voting over seven days, December 10 to December 16, 2019.
Your participation as a candidate or as an informed voter in Union elections is crucial because those you elect will help administer the affairs of the Union.
Personal email addresses should be received by the Returning Officer, Steve Smith via your RVP no later than October 29, 2019, in order to ensure receipt of ballots.
In solidarity,
Trish Sinclair
President, COPE Local 491
CAMPAIGN RULES
Campaigning cannot occur during work time.
Use of the Employer’s voice mail or email to circulate election material is not permitted.
Candidates are asked to conduct themselves with dignity at all times.
Any behaviour or material that undermines the dignity or self-esteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment will not be tolerated.
Each duly nomination candidate may submit a maximum of one (1) article to be published on the Local Union Website and included in the electronic voting system. Website posting of articles begin November 20, 2019.
Steve Smith
Returning Officer, COPE Local 491
DATES TO REMEMBER
October 22, 2019
Election Call
November 5, 2019
Nominations open
November 18, 2019
4:00 p.m. EST
Nominations Close
November 19, 2019
Complete list of candidates
Will be posted on the Union’s
Website
November 20, 2019
Website posting of articles begin
October 29, 2019
Personal email address deadline
December 10 – 16, 2019
VOTE
See Official Election Call here: http://cope491.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Election-Call-December-2019-2.pdf
In the world of technology and ever changing media platforms, our local has started to create an online social media presence.
COPE Local 491 now has a Facebook group. This is a place to come and chat with other members, find interesting labour community events and information or share positive experiences and make a connection with your COPE Local 491 Sisters and Brothers.
In order to join the group, you will have to request permission and answer 3 questions; are you a current COPE Local 491 member, which office and region you work in and if you will follow the equality statement in your posts and comments. Once you have requested permission to join, an administrator or moderator of the group will approve you. The group will remain a “closed” group which means: you can search the group on Facebook, but only members of the group will be able to see what is posted there. Membership in the Facebook group is strictly OPTIONAL; the emails and webpage will remain the main vehicles for sharing COPE Local 491 official communications.
Visit us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/cope491/
Stay tuned for more social media platform information in the coming weeks!
As the pay statements were just received today; many members have been asking about the retro pay. We inquired about it this morning and were advised by the Employer that the retroactive pay is being processed. It is being worked on and and requires a number of manual calculations that are time consuming. We do not have information on the exact time frame; however if we find out anything further we will let everyone know.
Please click the link below for an important letter/notice from the JEEC regarding a letter and survey all members will be receiving soon from CUPE.
Nominations close tomorrow (January 24th) at 4:00pm EST. Be sure you have the nominations form into the Returning Officer at: returningofficercope491@gmail.com before the nomination period close.
Stay tuned on January 28th for a list of candidates nominated for the positions. The list of candidates will be posted to the website and sent out by email.
The hearing dates that were scheduled for January 8/9 have now been concluded. This process was completed in the first day and the second day was cancelled. All parties now await a decision from the Vice-Chair of the OLRB (Ontario Labour Relations Board). We will share that decision once we receive it.
Happy New Year! The COPE 491 executive wishes to send good wishes for a fantastic year to each and every member.
Quick update on the OLRB hearings for the application that was filed in December. The hearing date originally scheduled for December 27 was cancelled and the hearing for January 8 and 9 will be taking place as scheduled. Until the hearings have taken place and a decision is rendered there may not be much information to share. We will continue to provide all information we can to everyone.
COPE 491 will be taking time in the first part of January to also welcome our new executive members and will be working together to move forward in a positive manner. The Bargaining Committee is continuing to work compiling proposals from those submitted by members. There has been a start on a bylaw review and a committee will be formed shortly as well. 2018 will be a busy year again and we look forward to seeing member involvement and seeing our local continue to grow and strengthen together in a unified direction.
In Solidarity,
COPE 491 Executive
Election Results are in!
Congratulations to Sister Sandra Lenuik, and Sister Pamela Nowosad-Federowich for being elected as RVP in your respective regions! Thank you to all who let their names stand.
Ontario Region 5A had a tie in the election and therefore a re-election will take place in the new year. Stay tuned for details of that election.
Click below for the Big Pulse Results pages:
Sisters & Brothers:
As you know a second application was filed on November 30, 2017 to remove our National Office members from COPE 491. On Tuesday December 5, 2017 the Ontario Labour Relations Board ordered a vote to take place on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at National Office.
Further information will be communicated to you as it becomes available.
If you have any questions please send them to a COPE 491 Executive member and we will respond as soon as possible.
In solidarity,
Karen Carle
President
COPE 491