Committees at Jobstart with union members and management
1. Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee
Membership: Representative of the Employer and the Union staff member from each location
Co-chairs: Tracy Houston (Manager) and Selina Tejani (Union Representative)
Committee Members: Ali Behroozian – Dufferin; Courtney Boudreau – Lakeshore; Pam Cardwel – Chauncey; Domenic Cutello (Manager); Sarah Gayer – HR Consultant
Mandate:
- Regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Ontario)
- Set out the rights and duties of all parties for union members and employers in the workplace regarding health and safety
- Workers and Employers must work together to resolve any issues and hazards.
- Committee must meet regularly to identify hazards and make recommendations.
2. Labour Management Committee
Membership: 3 representatives each from the Employer and the Union
Co-chairs: Jemima Sabapathy (Manager) and Selina Tejani (Union Representative)
Committee Members:
Management – Jemima Sabapathy, Tracy Houston, and Sarah Gayer
Union – Selina Tejani, Kathleen Leon, Lucy Kenzina
Mandate:
- Discussion/Constructive criticism of all activities so that better relations shall exist between management and union
- Reviewing suggestions from employees, questions of working conditions and services
- Recommending correction of conditions causing grievance and misunderstanding
3. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Committee
Out going Co - chairs: Yasmeen Tian (Manager) and Mehrangiz Monsef
Incoming Co-chairs: Yasmeen Tian (Manager) and Courtney Boudreau(Union Representative)
Members: Balu Mistry (Manager), Patricia Salmon (CEO), Sheroni Christian (Union), Selina Tejani (Union), Vrunda Bhatt(Manager)
Mandate:
- Support and Enhance Job Starts’ commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion by creating and maintaining an open and accountable environment.
- This environment would be free from any form of harassment, discrimination and violence for all clients, visitors and employees through creating a positive and accessible atmosphere where access, diversity, equity and inclusive programs are embraced.
What we do
CUPE 3771 represents municipal workers in the following committees:
1. Elections Committee
- At a membership meeting, at least one month prior to Election Day, the President will, subject to the approval of the members present, appoint an Elections Committee consisting of a Chief Returning Officer and assistant(s).
- The committee will include members of the Local Union who are neither Officers nor candidates for office.
- The Elections Committee shall have full responsibility for voting arrangements and shall treat information submitted to it in connection with its responsibilities as confidential.
- The voting will take place at the regular membership meeting in April. The vote will be by secret ballot.
- Voting to fill one office will be conducted and completed, and recounts dealt with before balloting may begin to fill another office.
- A majority of votes cast will be required before any candidate can be declared elected, and second and subsequent ballots will be taken if necessary to obtain a majority. On the second and subsequent ballots, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes in the previous ballot will be dropped.
- In the event of a tie vote, a second and subsequent ballot(s) will be taken if necessary until a candidate receives a majority of votes cast and can be declared elected. In the event the tie vote persists, subsequent ballots may be deferred to the next membership meeting.
The Election Committee members are David Ha and Tina Phangchanthong.
2. Bylaw Committee
This committee will:
- Review the bylaws annually and make recommendations to the Executive
Board on proposed amendments. - Review any proposed amendments received from the Executive Board or
membership of the Local Union to ensure that the amendments will
conform to the remainder of the bylaws and the CUPE National
Constitution. - Ensure that the Local Union’s bylaws are written in clear language,
ensuring that clear language does not change the intent or meaning of
the bylaws. - The committee members will be the elected chairperson and 2 members.
The bylaw Committee are the following individuals: Courtney Boudreau, Kathleen Leon and Selina Tejani
3. Negotiating Committee (temporary )
- This will be a special committee established at least 3 months prior to the expiry
of the Local Union’s collective agreement and automatically disbanded when a
new collective agreement has been signed. - The function of the committee is to
prepare collective bargaining proposals and to negotiate a collective agreement. - The committee consists of 3 members, included is the President of the
Local; all elected at a membership meeting.
The Negotiating Committee will be determined in December 2021 as per CUPE local 3771 bylaws.
Equality statement
Union solidarity is based on the principle that union members are equal and deserve mutual respect at all levels. Any behaviour that creates conflict prevents us from working together to strengthen our union.
As unionists, mutual respect, cooperation and understanding are our goals. We should neither condone nor tolerate behaviour that undermines the dignity or self-esteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Discriminatory speech or conduct which is racist, sexist, transphobic or homophobic hurts and thereby divides us. So too, does discrimination on the basis of ability, age, class, religion, language and ethnic origin.
Sometimes discrimination takes the form of harassment. Harassment means using real or perceived power to abuse, devalue or humiliate. Harassment should not be treated as a joke. The uneasiness and resentment that it creates are not feelings that help us grow as a union.
Discrimination and harassment focus on characteristics that make us different; and they reduce our capacity to work together on shared concerns such as decent wages, safe working conditions, and justice in the workplace, society and in our union.
CUPE’s policies and practices must reflect our commitment to equality. Members, staff and elected officers must be mindful that all persons deserve dignity, equality and respect.