By-Election Candidate Statements

The campaigning period for the Grievance Officer and Vice-President Unit 3 by-elections began on September 14. Balloting will begin on September 28 and continue until October 5.

There will be one polling station at Keele Campus and one at Glendon campus, open 9-5 in the following spots:

  • Keele Campus Polling Station: Vari Hall link (between Vari Hall and Central Square)
  • Glendon Campus Polling Station: Outside the Cafeteria (across from York Hall, Room 170)

The available statements for the candidates are below.

Grievance Officer Candidates

Brendan Bruce

A picture of Grievance Officer candidate Brendan Bruce

I am running for Grievance Officer because I believe that our local has to be better prepared for next year’s contract negotiations, and to utilize both the legal and direct action methods to help solve grievances.

We need to be prepared for bargaining our new CA in 2017, and last round we did not do enough research. I hope to prepare research on, but not limited to, language on tuition indexation, the Continuing Sessional Standing Program, our transit costs, and the equity hiring language. As an everyday member, I prepared the childcare research for the last round of bargaining, which our fund is based on. Also, in the last two summers, I have help prepare the legal research around the tuition indexation case, and the fellowships model: this has included finding our new legal council, preparing all the documents for the lawyers, and preparing reports to the Executive about the legal opinions we received.

This is my fourth year in 3903, and, in that time, I have been active as a departmental steward in Political Science. As a departmental steward, I have prepared both legal grievances and direct action grievances in our local. For example, in my department the 3903 offices had not been cleaned for years (mold, and other health & safety concerns) and when we asked our department to clean it, nothing ever happened. We collectively wrote up the (legal) grievance, passed around a petition, and then we marched together to give these demands to Faculty Relations. The employer cleaned our offices that weekend! By utilizing the strengthens of our membership together with the legal route, we can win more grievances and help set the terrain for next year’s contract negotiations.

So please vote in the upcoming elections: but even more than that, please get involved. Thank you.

Sarah Hornstein

A picture of Grievance Officer candidate Sarah Hornstein

I have been the pro-tem Grievance Officer since July, 2016, and I am asking for your support to continue in this role. I have 12 years of active experience in the local, including serving as a member of the Bylaws Committee, Unit 1 departmental steward (Sociology), Recording Secretary/Research Officer, and Chief Steward Unit 2.

I am passionate about the enforcement/protection and improvement of our Collective Agreements. Two of my terms on the Executive were bargaining years, so I bring a strong knowledge of our strengths and capacities as a union to the position. As Chief Steward Unit 2, I helped reestablish the Grievance Committee and worked closely with this committee to assess grievances. Since July, I have been using my experience and knowledge, as well as my good working relationship with the Staff and the Grievance Committee, to resolve grievances and fight for members. I also know our Employer. I have sat across the table from them in 3 bargaining rounds, in mediation and grievance meetings and, as a Contract Faculty member, I have faced them concerning my own hiring grievances.

I am a resource for members regarding the Collective Agreements and grievance procedures, and I enjoy working closely with the Collective Agreements. I also enjoy working with members to solve problems and improve our working conditions/experience.

As pro-tem Grievance Officer, I have been working to resolve grievances concerning hiring, postings, access to benefits, and GA work. I have also been compiling issues that we need to address in the upcoming bargaining round. I hope to use my position to inform members about our rights and to work with Stewards Council and use grievances to fight the racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism prevalent at York. Our workplace should be one where we are all treated with respect and where our Collective Agreements are upheld. As Grievance Officer I will work hard to ensure this.

Thank you for your consideration.

Vice-President Unit 3

Tracey J. Mann

Tracey Jastinder Mann is part-time student at York in the MSW program specializing in mental health and addictions. As a community organizer she has focused on wide variety of issues including migrant justice, indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, transformative justice, prison abolition and anti-violence movements.

Graham Reeder

A picture of VP Unit 3 candidate Graham Reeder

My name is Graham Reeder and I am running for the VP of Unit 3 to bring new energy to this position in light of the crushing setback Unit 3 is facing with the new funding model, in which outreach and solidarity will be vital.

I am in my final year as an MES student at the faculty of Environmental Studies. While new to CUPE 3903 involvement, I have been organizing on climate justice and democracy issues for nearly a decade. I have been involved in organizing major local, national, and international campaigns including the cross-Canada mobilizations against Harper’s C-51 anti-terrorism bill and the 2015 march for jobs, justice, and the climate.

As VP of Unit 3, I hope to work on broadening and deepening our relationships with progressive and radical affinity groups on campus, in the city, and across the country. I believe that unions are at their strongest when they have built long-lasting relationships of solidarity both within and outside of their memberships, and that others will show up for us if we show up for them.

Unit 3 suffered a major setback with the rollout of the new graduate funding model. As VP I will work with rank and file union members as well as those who have been excluded from the union to ensure that the hard-earned gains made from the 2015 strike are not swept away by union-busting.

Jeffrey Zavala

A picture of VP Unit 3 candidate Jeffrey Zavala

My name is Jeffrey Zavala and I am running for the VP of Unit 3 to fight for all members against current austerity measures our employer has taken after the last strike. I am in my final term of my masters program in environmental studies and have the time and commitment to campaign to get jobs and benefits such as our annual printing credit back for all existing and future graduate students

As an active member from 2013 I have sat on various committees such as the Labour Management Committee for Unit 3, accessibility committee, distribution committee and have attended most monthly meetings and CUPE national and provincial conferences. Currently I am a posting officer and have also been an election officer in the past which is the experience that is needed to fill this important executive position.

I have been working with various groups on and off campus since 2003 as an undergraduate and graduate student. What is needed most is accountability transparency and equality for all our members and my focus on social justice is why I feel I am best served to serve all members in our union space.

The new funding model has proven that the university does not respect its employees and plans to exploit all students by pitting students against each other by focusing on free labour through non-paid internships and non-unionized labour such as work study positions. What is needed now more than ever is someone with experience and organizing skills to fight against the employers union busting tactics. I promise to bring accountability, transparency, equality and social justice as an executive member through my fight against the employers austerity measures.