Convention ends with swearing in of new AUPE President Doug Knight
EDMONTON – Moments before the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ 30th Annual Convention ended at 3 p.m. Saturday, Doug Knight was sworn in as the union’s sixth president.
Knight’s pledge of office was given by outgoing president Dan MacLennan at the end of the Convention, which ran from Thursday, Oct. 26, to Saturday, Oct. 28.
The ceremony brought to a close an exciting, sometimes tumultuous convention in which a record 662 delegates also voted to disaffiliate from national and provincial labour groups, raised $12,800 for Alberta women’s shelters and honoured nine long-time activists with Life Memberships.
A total of more than 850 delegates, Life Members, observers, guests, media, staff and others attended the historic convention.
New President
On the morning of Friday, Convention delegates elected Doug Knight, a Local 005 member and veteran AUPE activist from Red Deer, to replace MacLennan.
In his campaign, Knight, 48, had emphasized the need for continuity with the policies of former president MacLennan. “I intend to stay the course set by Dan and focus on bargaining good contracts for AUPE’s members, meeting members in their workplaces and listening to their issues,” he said immediately after ballots were counted.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” said Knight, who defeated 11 other contenders for the job as leader of AUPE. “But there’s a job to be done and I’m going to do it.
Knight drew the delegates’ attention to the need for solidarity and commitment during the major rounds of bargaining in all of the unions’ sectors in the months ahead.
He noted that these include a new Master Agreement for more than 20,000 direct employees of the provincial government, to be negotiated in 2007, and a major round of health sector bargaining affecting approximately most of AUPE’s 30,000-plus health sector members in 2008.
Knight is a Government of Alberta land-management specialist and a member of Local 005. He joined AUPE in 1989, when he went to work for the Government. Most recently he served as Local 005’s representative on the union’s Provincial Executive.
MacLennan Farewell
On Thursday morning, Convention’s opening day, delegates bade an emotional farewell to “Buff” MacLennan, who had announced on Sept. 18 that after nine years at the helm of AUPE he was stepping down as president to take a senior position in the private sector.
“Brothers and sisters, I want to thank you for letting me talk to you for probably the last time as president,” MacLennan said to the delegates. “It’s been with honour and pride that I’ve had this job. I’ve always said — and you’ve heard me — that it’s the best temporary job in the world.”
Members called back: “We love you, Buff!”
Said MacLennan: “the luckiest person here today is me, for having known you!”
Referring to his frequent noon-hour worksite meetings, MacLennan drew delegates’ laughs when he concluded, “Anyone can have a legacy of union activism. Mine will always include pizza!”
Emergency Resolution
In a key item of business on Friday, delegates overwhelmingly voted to disaffiliate AUPE from provincial and national labour organizations such as the National Union of Provincial and General Employees, and through it the Alberta Federation of Labour, the Canadian Labour Congress and local labour councils.
AUPE was suspended from membership in NUPGE in March of 2001 after another union complained when some of its members democratically chose to join AUPE. At the time, AUPE argued that union members should have a right to choose the unions they want to belong to, and in the debate preceding the resolution delegates strongly restated that view.
AUPE’s Provincial Executive brought the emergency resolution to the union’s convention because they were concerned NUPGE might lift its suspension and AUPE would fall back into these organizations and suddenly face large payments of dues.
Since being suspended from NUPGE in 2001 after a dispute over members of another union who wanted to be part of AUPE, the union has re-allocated the approximately $2.5 million in annual dues it saved to the AUPE Defence Fund and for labour education programs for AUPE members, including the annual Labour School.
Knight did not close the door on rejoining NUPGE and the other groups, but said if that were to happen, there must be both significant change by the labour central groups and agreement by AUPE’s members.
Charity Fund-Raising
At a social event Thursday evening and with daily 50/50 draws throughout convention, delegates raised approximately $12,800 for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters.
Close to $9,000 was raised during the entertaining “That AUPE 70’s Show” and silent auction on Thursday evening. Another $1,500 was raised through the 50/50 draws.
Locals were also generous with donations – Local 095 made a special donation of $1,300 and Local 118 of $1,000.
“That AUPE 70’s Show” highlighted the entertainment talents of some of the union’s members. A total of nine acts entertained delegates with members dressed up as Charlie’s Angels, the Carpenters, Bob Dylan, and Liza Minnelli, among others.
Local 049/003 Member Fe Mosura captured first captured first prize — a $500 Best Buy gift certificate — with her stirring rendition of New York, New York.
New Life Members
In a ceremony on Friday, AUPE also honoured eight new Life Members, recognizing their unparalleled commitment and service to their fellow union members.
Honoured were Iris Bruening of Local 002, Michael Kennedy of Local 054, Dale Konschuk of Local 004, Kathie Milne of Local 054, Doug Sloan of Local 003, Gloria Surridge of Local 046, Earl Thompson of Local 003 and Ollie Yacyshyn of Local 052.
Former president Dan MacLennan was also honoured with a Life Membership, presented the day before by members of his local, Local 003.
Sumlak Award Presented
Later Friday, Local 002 member Marlene Belich was presented with the 2006 Rolyn Sumlak Award for her contributions to worksite health and safety.
The annual award for a committed Occupational Health and Safety Activist is named after an AUPE member who was killed on the job in 1990 while working for the Government of Alberta.
Belich was honoured for her commitment to health and safety at her workplace in Red Deer, said AUPE Union Representative Dennis Malayko, Staff Advisor to the standing committee on Occupational Health and Safety.
She has been employee co-chair of her worksite OH&S Committee since 2000, and is well respected for her efforts by co-workers and management alike, he said.
“She has also become very well known and respected as an external auditor, called on by other groups to do safety audits of their workplaces,” he said. “She has gained a lot of responsibility and her commitment to health and safety is undiminished.”
AUPE Apparel
Convention Delegates and other participants enthusiastically snapped up AUPE apparel on sale during the event.
A total of $20,175 worth of T-shirts, jackets, hats and other garments were sold during Convention.
Sales of AUPE apparel will resume at union headquarters in Edmonton after Nov. 9. For more information, contact Josie Peters of AUPE’s Headquarters staff at 1-800-232-7284, 930-3381 in Edmonton, or by email at j.peters@aupe.org.
Photo: AUPE President Doug Knight is sworn in Saturday by outgoing president Dan MacLennan.