Executive Committee sworn in; Change the Law protest a major success
EDMONTON – President Doug Knight and the five other members of AUPE’s Executive Committee were sworn in to office for two-year terms as the union’s 31st annual convention ended Saturday afternoon.
The six Executive Committee members had been elected by convention delegates on Friday, the second day of the convention at the Delta Edmonton South Hotel and Convention Centre.
Re-elected like Knight were Executive Secretary-Treasurer Bill Dechant, who was acclaimed, and Vice-President Jason Heistad. In addition, Lorraine Ellis, Sandra Azocar and Erez Raz were elected as vice-presidents.
The Executive Committee was sworn in by outgoing Vice-President Krista Koroluk.
Knight, a member of Local 005, is on leave from his job with Alberta Sustainable Resources in Red Deer. Dechant, a member of Local 004, is on leave from his job as a power plant engineer with the Alberta Government.
Heistad is a member of Local 071, employed at Olds College. Ellis is a member of Local 002, employed by Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, while Azocar is a Local 006 member who works as a social worker at the Edmonton Crisis Unit. Raz is a Correctional Officer at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
The convention, which with 688 voting delegates and about 820 participants was the largest in the union’s history, began Thursday morning with the singing of O Canada and Solidarity Forever led by unionized brass musicians from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
Most delegates agreed that the highlight of the three-day convention was the noisy demonstration against Alberta labour laws by more than 1,000 people Friday afternoon.
The event was part of the union’s Change the Law Campaign, which officially began on Labour Day and which has seen leaflets left at the homes of more than 351,000 Albertans by hundreds of volunteers. Volunteers also telephoned more than 100,000 homes throughout the province.
The theme of this year’s convention was “Change the Law. It’s time!”
Members of several other unions, including the Canadian Auto Workers, the United Food and Commercial Workers, United Association Pipe Trades, and the Alberta Regional Council of Carpenters and Allied workers joined AUPE’s rally, as did NDP Leader Brian Mason, NDP MLA David Eggen, and Liberal MLAs Hugh McDonald and Laurie Blakeman.
Chilly fall weather failed to dampen the energy of the crowd, which marched from the headquarters of the Alberta Labour Relations Board to the Legislature chanting “Change the Law” and “Where is Iris?” in reference to Alberta Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry Iris Evans.
AUPE’s Change the Law Campaign was an initiative of the union’s 2005 convention, where delegates passed a resolution calling for the union to launch the effort to convince MLAs to pass improved labour legislation.
On Thursday morning, Knight made his annual report to convention delegates.
“This has been an amazing year for me and has literally flown by,” said Knight, in a pre-taped video address to members.
“It doesn’t seem that long ago that Dan MacLennan informed us at Provincial Executive that he was moving on, only a month before last year’s convention. … I have come to realize that our membership is so diverse, so widespread with so many complex issues, that it has been a tremendously steep learning curve.
“My first priority was to educate myself about that diversity, about the people and about the jobs they do. Not surprisingly, I found this was a continuous and ongoing task, but one I really enjoyed,” Knight said.
Following acceptance of the President’s Report by the delegates, convention heard reports from AUPE’s vice-presidents.
Departing VP Krista Koroluk received a standing ovation when she told delegates that she was not running again so that she could care for her ailing grandmother. “I don’t think it would be right to run for re-election when my heart isn’t in it at this time. It’s been an honour and a privilege to serve you.”
During convention, delegates also approved AUPE’s $28.5-million budget and unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the Alberta government adopt a standard requiring one caregiver for every six patients in the province’s continuing care facilities.
AUPE’s 32nd Annual Convention is scheduled to take place on Oct. 23, 24 and 25, 2008.
Photo: AUPE’s Executive Committee was sworn in Oct. 27 by outgoing VP Krista Koroluk, far left. Left to right, President Doug Knight, Secretary-Treasurer Bill Dechant and VPs Lorraine Ellis, Jason Heistad, Sandra Azocar and Erez Raz.