Board of Directors Elections 2020

Posted October 21, 2020

As you may know, a decision was made to move to online voting for this year’s Board of Directors Election.

Election Dates

The election will be held from Tuesday, October 27, 2020 (12:01 a.m.) to Friday, October 30, 2020 (11:59 p.m.). October 27, 2020 will be considered the Advanced Poll.

Here is the information you need to be able to vote:

1. Voter Eligibility

1. Membership in CSU 52 (being “card-carrying”) is a requirement to vote in the election. If you are not currently registered as a member, you will need to apply online or contact the CSU 52 office by noon on October 26 to allow time to process your membership and add you to the voter database.
2. Those who are on temporary layoff with fee waives are still eligible to vote.
3. Once the election period begins on October 27, 2020 at 12:01 a.m., the CSU 52 Office cannot issue any new Membership Cards and you will not be able to vote.

2. How members can access the vote

1. If you have already given CSU 52 your personal email address, you will receive an email inviting you to vote during the election period (October 27 to 30, 2020). You can sign up for e-Newsletters on the CSU 52 website’s home page.
2. You will need both your Membership Card Number and Employee/Payroll number to place a vote (in addition to being a card-carrying member).
3. You can access your ballot in one of two ways:
   
   1. Go online to the SimplyVoting website and login using your Membership Card Number and Employee/Payroll number
   2. Click the embedded SimplyVoting link in the email you received and skip right to your ballot
4. With AHS guidelines for COVID-19 safety in place, there will be an in-person Poll open at the Union Office between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on October 27, 2020 for those who do not have access to an electronic device to vote. You will still need your Membership Card Number and Employee/Payroll number to login to vote. Please check this webpage for updates to this poll before you travel to the Union Office. The COVID-19 situation in Edmonton is changing day-by-day and we may need to make a short notice change to adhere to AHS guidelines.

A virtual Special Meeting: Candidate Forum took place through Zoom the evening of October 20, 2020 to hear presentations from Candidates who are nominated for Board of Directors positions.

If you missed it, a video recording of the Forum is available for your viewing:

Time stamp links have been added for your convenience. 

• Open the video at YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZVt091m2Fvk
• View the video description underneath to access time stamp links

( 0:00 ) INTRO – Ariel Bowering, Returning Officer

CANDIDATE PRESENTATIONS

( 4:20 ) Esther Anderson
( 10:11 ) Pierre Blanchette
( 17:05 ) Anna Vesala
( 23:20 ) Lanny Chudyk
( 28:20 ) Laurie Fiorilli

CANDIDATE-TO-CANDIDATE QUESTIONS

( 34:11 ) Vesala question #1 to Blanchette “One of my first engagements with the Union was back in, a few years ago, in 2016, there was a Listening Campaign. And this question goes to Pierre because I know that you were on the Board at that time, and so I know that that campaign did come to the Board eventually. I guess for background and context for those who don’t know or weren’t around at that time, this Listening Campaign was really to engage members through the grassroots – really do grassroots engagement. But then suddenly in 2017, the Board shut it down. So I was just curious if you could explain what your position was on that campaign, in particular, and why you voted that way – what made you vote whichever way you did. I didn’t actually track your vote, but can you just explain around that campaign in particular?”

( 35:15 ) Vesala question #2 to Blanchette and Anderson “To both of my Second VP candidates, I would ask the question: What are you doing in particular, in the role, to really make sure that new members, members who haven’t been engaged so far, how are you going to support them to become active members in the Union?”

( 35:45 ) Vesala question #3 to Chudyk and Fiorilli “I was glad to hear both of you reference the broader union movement, it’s certainly an interest of mine. And so many unions are under fire right now with several provincial pieces of legislation being tabled. Of course, our pensions are being sort of used – we don’t really have control over. Right now, Right-to-Work legislation is being tabled. So I’m curious what you both would do to rally the troops in this way, not only within our house of CSU 52 but to work with other unions in Edmonton and the province to get stronger work out to the public that we are not standing for those cuts?”

( 37:22 ) Blanchette answer to question #1
( 38:34 ) Anderson answer to question #2
( 41:39 ) Blanchette answer to question #2
( 43:01 ) Fiorilli answer to question #3
( 43:36 ) Chudyk answer to question #3

No questions from Fiorilli.

( 44:59 ) Chudyk question to all candidates “What’s your position on the Coalition of Civic Unions? Do you think it is a worthwhile function for CSU 52 to be involved?”
( 45:24 ) Blanchette answer
( 45:52 ) Anderson answer
( 46:54 ) Fiorilli answer
( 47:39 ) Vesala answer
( 49:15 ) Chudyk response

( 50:30 ) Blanchette question to Vesala “You asked us about member engagement, and I’d like to hear your feelings about the member engagement and how you would try to entice or increase membership coming to meetings?”
( 50:48 ) Vesala answer

( 53:15 ) Blanchette question to Chudyk and Fiorilli “Right now we’re entering into a very challenging time in regards to the potential of layoffs and also buyout packages, and that sort of thing that are coming up. What are your thoughts into lobbying Council to make sure they have accurate information, as we have seen ELT has sometimes withheld information from Councillors?”
( 53:48 ) Chudyk answer
( 55:28 ) Fiorilli answer

( 56:05 ) Anderson question to Chudyk and Fiorilli (and to Blanchette as a current Board member) “Laurie touched on something that is something that I also put into my platform or position statement, was that we have communication issues – sometimes requests just don’t get addressed. I had a request that was sent October 2nd, a response right away from the office saying ‘We’ll get that to our Labour Relations Officer to respond to you’. And here it is today, October 20th, I have yet to have a response, and this is not new or unusual. What do we do to help our members that aren’t getting their responses either from the Labour Relations side or even within the Board, where the request is sent and you never hear back?”
( 57:13 ) Chudyk answer
( 58:35 ) Fiorilli answer
( 59:48 ) Blanchette answer

( 1:09:00 ) Return from 5-minute break

MEMBER QUESTIONS GATHERED FROM CHAT BOX

( 1:10:05 ) Question “In the context of a threat to unions that’s been spoken to by a number of candidates, unions like ATA, HSAA, AUPE and more are preparing their members for strikes, hiring organizers and training members. If elected, how would you help CSU 52 get ready for a strike?”
( 1:10:26 ) Chudyk answer
( 1:11:34 ) Blanchette answer
( 1:12:05 ) Anderson answer
( 1:13:22 ) Fiorilli answer
( 1:14:06 ) Vesala answer

( 1:15:14 ) Question “If elected, what will you do to prepare members to prepare for Back-to-Work legislation?”
( 1:15:36 ) Blanchette answer
( 1:16:26 ) Anderson answer
( 1:17:21 ) Fiorilli answer
( 1:18:02 ) Vesala answer
( 1:20:14 ) Chudyk answer

( 1:23:48 ) Question “With the current threats from the UCP government to AHS, is CSU 52 in a healthy state with strike funds necessary?”
( 1:24:57 ) Anderson answer
( 1:25:56 ) Fiorilli answer
( 1:26:37 ) Vesala answer
( 1:27:32 ) Chudyk answer
( 1:28:39 ) Blanchette answer

( 1:29:50 ) Question “I’ve not been able to participate much in the past due to meetings being held in person, at times I couldn’t make. So I really appreciate these virtual opportunities. The question is, what other ideas for using technology or virtual environments have candidates thought of promoting engagement and involvement?”
( 1:30:11 ) Fiorilli answer
( 1:30:44 ) Vesala answer
( 1:31:41 ) Chudyk answer
( 1:32:42 ) Blanchette answer
( 1:33:43 ) Anderson answer

CONCLUDING REMARKS FROM CANDIDATES

( 1:36:04 ) Anna Vesala
( 1:37:17 ) Lanny Chudyk
( 1:38:20 ) Pierre Blanchette
( 1:39:32 ) Esther Anderson
( 1:40:54 ) Laurie Fiorilli

( 1:41:35 ) Thank you from Ariel Bowering

President

• Lanny CHUDYK 👉 Campaign website: http://lannychudyk.ca
• Laurie FIORILLI 👉 [ Campaign poster & Speech notes ]

*ELECTION REQUIRED

Second Vice-President/Secretary of the Board

• Esther ANDERSON 👉 Campaign website: http://estheranderson.ca
• Pierre BLANCHETTE 👉 [ Campaign poster & Speech notes ]
• Anna VESALA 👉 Campaign website: http://bit.ly/Anna4CSU52

*ELECTION REQUIRED

Chief Trustee

• Rosa ANDERSON Candidate has withdrawn from election
• Sandi GIESLER

Due to the other candidate’s withdrawal, Sandi Giesler will be declared to be elected by acclamation in the Chief Trustee position.

*ELECTION NO LONGER REQUIRED

Contractual Unit Director, Edmonton Public Library

• Lori JEFFERY-HEANEY
  Elected by acclamation; no other nominees

No election required.

Contractual Unit Director, EPCOR

• Teresa DOBLANKO
  Elected by acclamation; no other nominees

No election required.

Contractual Unit Director, Capital Power

No nominations received – nominations will reopen for this position until the next scheduled General Membership Meeting: December 1, 2020

NOMINATIONS DEADLINE

DO YOU QUALIFY TO BE NOMINATED?

• Be an Active member of CSU 52 in good standing
• Have Shop Steward and/or Committee experience
• Have attended (during the period of October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020) a minimum of six (6) regularly scheduled:
  · General Meetings, and/or
  · Shop Steward Training Sessions, and/or
  · Unit Meetings of the Contractual Unit to which the nominee belongs
• Not be an Election Officer

ATTENDANCE RECORDS

Members who have attended the minimum six meetings have their names highlighted in orange. Records as of September 17, 2020:

Download ‘Attendance Records’

NOMINATION FORM

Download ‘2020 Nomination Form’

Nomination-Form

ALTERNATIVE ONLINE NOMINATION FORM

An alternative contactless method that does not require the need to print, scan and email the Nomination Form is available.

The nominee and each of the nominators must write a statement that is signed and dated. An image file (photo) of each statement must then be submitted along with the required information. The person filling out the online form, whether it be the nominee or one of the nominators, should have all of the signature image files in order to upload them.

If you require assistance, please call the Union Office at 780-448-8900 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

See the Online Nomination Form for more details:
https://csu52.org/2020-board-of-directors-nomination-form/

All positions are for 2-year terms: January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022

• President | Incumbent: Lanny Chudyk
• Second Vice-President | Incumbent: Pierre Blanchette
• Chief Trustee | Incumbent: Donna Demyen
• Contractual Unit Director, Edmonton Public Library | Incumbent: Lori Jeffery-Heaney
• Contractual Unit Director, EPCOR | Incumbent: Teresa Doblanko
• Contractual Unit Director, Capital Power | Incumbent: Tyler Dys

Position Descriptions (CSU 52 Policy & Procedures Manual)

Nominations were accepted during the online June 23, 2020 General Membership Meeting for one (1) Assistant Returning Officer and two (2) Union Scrutineers. The 2020 Election Officers are:

• Ariel Bowering | Returning Officer (appointed by the Assistant Returning Officer)
• Becky Machnee | Assistant Returning Officer
• Greg Novak | Union Scrutineer
• Laura Raynor | Union Scrutineer

Duties of Election Officers (CSU 52 Bylaws)