President's Message

January 9, 2024
(as reported at the 1/9/2024 General Membership Meeting)

Good evening, I would like to begin by wishing our membership a Happy New Year and thank you all for your support over the last year. I’m sorry I am unable to attend tonight’s meeting.

I would like to touch base in regard to a few issues that may be a subject of discussion tonight.

Budget

While we are presenting a deficit budget, I fully anticipate that barring a work stoppage we will be operating in the black at the end of the year. Since I have been President, we have never run a deficit and in fact have run significant surpluses while increasing staffing in order to better conduct day to day representation for our members. We have also bought a new building and paid off that mortgage while continuing to see the value of our property significantly increase. Remember, a budget is simply a financial plan for the year, one that we commit to staying within as much as possible. I commit to this membership that if a significant change to the presented budget document were to happen that this Executive Board will bring those items to your attention and for discussion.

EDLC

While I have a good relationship with the EDLC, I don’t see real value for CSU 52 as a member of that organization. I have noticed the EDLC as being a big player in the civic arena. I’m not sure what the big push is for being a member of EDLC other than attending meetings as an official delegate and attending conferences where the main agenda is more pointed to trade union and provincial issues. If we were to affiliate with any organization, I would view the Alberta Federation of Labour as a more suitable partner and one that would provide more value for our members.

Bargaining Update

We are still in mediation. The City reached out this afternoon to inform us that they are still in the process of considering what their next step will be and that they will get back to your Union as soon as they decide on how to proceed. Please note that the Coalition of Civic Unions has posted a communication in support of CSU 52 and our struggle to achieve a fair and equitable agreement.

Thank you,
Lanny Chudyk