You may have noticed a few changes around our website and communications in the last few days… That’s right, the position of “Chief Steward” will now be known as “Lead Steward!”

The positions of Unit 1 and Unit 2 Stewards haven’t changed–just the title. It won’t be necessary for you to update any email addresses, so no need to worry about that.

This change was proposed by our Equity Committee to address the connections of the title “Chief” with the colonization of Turtle Island. As a union, we strive to be culturally responsive and are dedicated to identifying and addressing equity issues. We strive to continually improve our language and policies and to be an inclusive environment for all our members.

That being stated, the process of changing “Chief” to “Lead” in all of our forms, bylaws, and documents will take time, so please bear with us during this transition. Some references to the old title will remain until our next rounds of bargaining for Unit 1 and Unit 2; the old title is still locked into the current language of both Collective Agreements.

The new title of  “Lead Steward” is a simple, but crucial, step in the right direction.

If you’re interested in joining the Equity Committee and helping our union identify and address equity issues, please consider applying to be an Equity Committee Member: https://cupe3908.org/equity/

For any questions regarding this change, please contact Mitch Champagne, CUPE 3908 President, at president@cupe3908.org.

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CUPE 3908 Executive Committee