TORONTO - More than 1,500 delegates, alternates and
observers will attend the 34th annual Convention of the Ontario Public
Service Employees Union at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto, April
23-25, 2009.
“The theme for Convention this year is ‘Keep Your Eyes
on the Prize’ and will focus on moving forward as a union,” said OPSEU
President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “We will continue to support our
members and the work they do as they work toward improving their working
conditions.”
This is an election year within the union, with Thomas
and Patty Rout the 1st Vice-President/Treasurer up for re-election.
The union’s prestigious Stanley Knowles Humanitarian
Award will be presented to Lt. Gen Roméo Dallaire, noted for his
extraordinary humanitarian efforts as UN Commander in Rwanda. Andrea
Horwath, the first woman to lead the Ontario NDP and the second woman in
history to lead a major party in Ontario, will also address the
convention.
Members will again this year attend the Toronto Blue
Jays game Thursday night to raise money for the Live and Let Live Fund;
with the proceeds assisting HIV-AIDS work in Canada and internationally.
On Friday evening, the “OPSEU LOL” comedy night will
feature Elvira Kurt, Joel Cohen, and Steve Brinder, for a lighter look
at the labour movement.
OPSEU represents over 130,000 employees of the Ontario
government, Ontario’s community colleges, the LCBO, and more than 500
Broader Public Sector employers.
Convention 2009 runs each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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