Join us tomorrow at our Meet & Greet!

Good morning OPSEU Local 596 members!

My name is Elizabeth Mobeen and I’m running for VP/Chief Steward Unit 1. My goal is to better equip and engage all stewards so that they can become the most powerful group of representatives. My vision for the Local is to spark change and create a people first attitude, with an open-door policy and transparent communication. I want to build the effectiveness of the steward team by investing in training and organizing twelve meetings per year. I will also create a mentorship and shadowing system so that new stewards can begin working with members under the supervision of more senior stewards, and therefore ensuring that every member is well represented in a timely fashion.

I’ve been a union steward for 22 years and have participated in multiple arbitration and grievance cases. In 2018 alone, I represented 27 members at meetings and worked with outside investigators. My success rate in reaching a positive outcome for these members was very high and I’ve received great feedback from members who have been thankful for my support and my voice.

With my many years of experience and deep knowledge of labour relations practices, I look forward to serving the membership by creating a more responsive system that benefits from the strengths of all of our members supporting one another.

To read my full bio and find out more about our campaign priorities, please look at our website and get in touch with us to let us know what you think. Follow the #OPSEU596 hashtag on Twitter for updates.

Now, onto some key points:

1. Our next Meet and Greet is tomorrow Wednesday, November 13, from 12pm to 1pm in the main floor atrium of the Centre for Urban Innovation (CUI) building at 44 Gerrard St. Please click here to see a map of the location. [Add it to your calendar!] We are also planning a third meeting for Wednesday, November 20th from 5pm - 6 pm at SLC 508. [Add it to your calendar!]

2. We feel that it is important to point out that the means of communication to the entire membership are being monopolized by the President of the Local 596. Edie Strachan, OPSEU HQ’s Regional Vice-President, has confirmed that we are within our right to send emails to whoever we choose (and confirms their interest) when campaigning. Therefore, our emails are not “unsanctioned” emails.

3. If you haven’t done so already, please fill out the OPSEU Membership Application form (for NEW OPSEU Ryerson Staff, and for those who may not have done so in the past) in order to be counted by OPSEU HQ as a member in good standing and to be eligible to vote in the upcoming election. After filling out the form, you can either mail it to OPSEU HQ yourself, or bring it to the meeting tomorrow to give to us so that we can mail it for you.

4. If you’d like to support our campaign, there are lots of ways to help:

a) Please make your OPSEU colleagues aware of the election, and bring them out to vote on November 25 from 12pm to 1pm at the Kerr Hall Upper Gym. [Add it to your calendar!]

b) Sign the membership application form and pass it on to new OPSEU employees to send OPSEU HQ directly.

c) Campaign with us! Send us an email to let us know when you are available to canvas or if you have any other helpful ideas.

Thank you, Elizabeth