Get Involved, you will not regret it.

Unifor Local 199 is holding self nominations for our Standing Committees this month and I would personally like to invite you to consider putting your name forward for one of these positions, there are 27 openings, (three positions on nine different committees) All members from all 199 units are eligible to run for these committees.

After a few years of being a member of our Union a coworker suggested I go to the Family Education Centre to learn more about our union. This was a great experience for me, I learned all about our union, the issues and challenges that we face and more importantly I meet like minded people who wanted to see change and make a difference.  After returning from Port Elgin everything started to change,  I ran for and was subsequently elected to the Eduction Committee, what followed has been an amazing experience that has lasted for decades and has been very rewarding in many ways.

Running for a standing committee is a real door opener and a great starting point, most elected reps have been on a standing committee at one point in their career.  Following a path of education I have met so many interesting people, such as Jim Stanford, Jack Layton, Bob White even Danny Glover and Justine Trudeau.   Being on a standing committee opened other doors for me, I have been sent to Port Elgin for courses and conferences, as a CLC, OFL and Unifor delegate I have attended conferences across Canada.   I also learned about other opportunities within our union, learned so much and have made a difference for our members and the community in which we live.

On a standing committee you will work with two other elected members and members who are interested in helping out. You will be assigned an Executive Board member liaison to help you get going and mentor you. Each committee has guidelines of the area they will focus on and yearly budget to work with. Committees report to the membership, work with other community organizations.  They help run recreation events, community events, help kids, seniors and those in need, it really is a great way to get involved, learn, meet people and most importantly make a difference. As a committee member you will be able to select what you work on, the Executive Board will help you get started but it is  the committee that makes the recommendations.

Over the past few years local 199 initiated a mentoring program for members who are interested in getting involved, this is why I am writing this article to you please consider this great opportunity to get involved. If you need a word of encouragement contact any member of the Executive Board.

For more information about our Standing Committees click here.

For Election Information and dates, click here.