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