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Convention: Purpose, What Happens, and Why Your Participation Matters

Convention is the highest decision‑making body of our union. Every three years, delegates from across the country come together to review our By‑Laws and Policies, debate resolutions, and approve the budget that guides UNE’s work. In a regular cycle, Convention is also when delegates elect the National Executive.

This year, delegates will carry out the same important Convention work. Because UNE is currently placed under Trusteeship, the election for the National Executive may take place at a later date. If that happens, only members who are accredited as delegates for the 2026 Convention will be able to vote — even if the vote occurs on a different day. This Convention is especially important. The decisions we make in August 2026 will help set the foundation for how we rebuild and move forward as a strong, member‑focused union. Your involvement — whether as a delegate, a resolution writer, or an engaged member — truly makes a difference.

Union of National Employees: A Union Like No Other

We represent over 23,000 members working in 73 different workplaces, with as many collective agreements. Our members work in the public sector, the private sector, and the non‑profit sector. They work in every region of this country — and even around the world.

This diversity is one of our greatest strengths. But it also means that democracy is essential to how we function. We need voices from every workplace, every region, and every type of job to help shape the decisions that affect all of us.

That’s why your participation matters so much.

And that’s also why we extended the registration deadline — because not all Locals have sent someone yet, and we don’t want anyone to miss the opportunity to take part in the Convention that represents you.

What Happens at Convention

In August, delegates work together to make decisions that guide UNE for the next three years. They will:

  • Debate and vote on resolutions submitted by group of members
  • Approve the budget that sets our priorities and supports our activities

These decisions shape how we support members, how we grow, and how we continue building a strong, inclusive union.

Why Your Resolutions Matter

Resolutions are one of the most important tools members have to influence the direction of UNE.

A resolution is simply an idea or proposal for change. It can be something you want to improve, something you want to add, or something you want the union to do differently.

Every resolution submitted is reviewed by the appropriate Convention Committee before the Convention:

  • Finance Committee
  • General Committee
  • By‑Laws and Policies Committee

Each resolution is evaluated, discussed, and prioritized for debate at Convention.
If you have ideas for improving our union, this is your moment to share them.
 Click here to learn how to write and submit a resolution.

Deadline Update

You haven’t registered yet — you still can.

You haven’t sent a resolution yet – you still can.

We want you there. Your voice, your experience, and your perspective matter.

Convention is stronger when all members are represented, and we want every Local to have the chance to participate.
Click here to see the requirements for a Local to send at least two members to Convention.

You can register until May 29th 2026.

Thank You for Being Part of This Journey

Convention is where we come together to make decisions that shape the future of UNE, and an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow activists and build lasting relationships. Whether you’re attending as a delegate, submitting a resolution, or simply learning more about the process, your involvement strengthens our union.

Click here to go back to the list of articles.

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2026 UNE Triennial Convention: Registration Deadline Extended

Good news, UNE members.
The registration deadline for the 2026 UNE Triennial Convention has been extended.

New registration deadline: May 29, 2026

This extension gives more UNE members the opportunity to vote for their delegates. Delegates will register and take part in the Convention, where important discussions and decisions about the future of our union will take place.

Click here to register online now!

Click here to see how to get to convention.

If you have any questions about 2026 Triennial Convention contact us at events@une-sen.org.

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Union of National Employees elects first Black Women to National Executive

September 8, 2023

For the first time in its history, the Union of National Employees (UNE) – representing nearly 24,000 workers in workplaces across the country – has elected two Black women to its national leadership team.

Alisha Campbell, a Parks Canada member, was elected National President, and Hayley Millington, from Employment and Social Development Canada’s Learning Branch, was elected National Executive Vice-President at UNE’s National Triennial Convention, held August 21-25 in Toronto.

“This is the dawn of a new era for UNE members and the Labour movement at large,” said Campbell. “The future is bright, and our members led the charge. I am a Black and Cherokee francophone woman, and a proud member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. I am pansexual and a person with disabilities, and I’m here to represent all members.”

Campbell and Millington bring a lot of activist experience to their roles on the UNE’s National Executive. Millington was the National Equity Representative for Women, National Equity Representative for racialized persons, Assistant Human Rights Vice-President and held numerous terms in her Local as a Local Human Rights representative.

“What we have achieved here today is truly historic,” said Millington. “Members voted for this, and together, workers made history.”

“I am a black, single mother of a son, Malachi, and I know all too well that sense of being excluded, of not being able to have a voice in spaces where decisions are made. We are ready to place the needs of all our members at the centre of our decision-making.”

Campbell and Millington will connect with as many members as possible to build a strong base. As agents of change, we foresee new ways forward through a review of our structure as voted in by members. We have a clear mandate to invest in our young workers and all members, and this aligns with UNE’s core belief of unity in diversity.

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Media inquiries:

UNE media relations team
613-298-7892

The Union of National Employees is a component union of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, representing members working in 70 different workplaces in the public, private and non-profit sectors, in all corners of our great country and around the world.

We are teachers and mechanics, librarians and foreign service officers, plumbers and researchers, clerical workers and program administrators, passport officers and investigators —and more.

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Convention Day Three – Human Rights at the forefront on the Convention Floor!

August 24, 2023

After the first Credentials Committee report, delegates got right back to business with the Finance Committee. The following resolutions were presented, debated and voted on:

  • FIN 1 – Removal of UNE Local Financial Review or Audit for calendar year end
  • FIN 2 – Modification to Policy FIN 1

    Delegates listened to a fantastic panel monitored by the 2023 Convention Chair Sharon De Sousa on health and safety in the workplace with panelists Uppala Chandresekara, Director of Public Health at Toronto Public Health, Fatima Gardaad, National Coordinator on Anti-Racism and Human Rights at the Canadian Labour Congress, and Andrea Peart, National Health and Safety Officer with the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

It was back to Convention proceedings for the first part of the afternoon with the Bylaws & Constitution Resolutions Committee and the General Resolutions Committee. Four resolutions were debated and voted on:

  • CS 10 – Relocation of Full Time National President and Vice-President
  • CS 4 – Increase Number of Allotted Delegates to UNE Triennial Conventions
  • Amended CS 7 – Structural Review of UNE
  • GEN 17 – Search the Landfill

    GEN 17 was an emergency resolution about launching national Search the Landfill campaign by the UNE Human Rights Committee. As stated in the resolution’s rationale, “[i]ndigenous women and girls are not disposable and deserve dignity, and the families deserve closure.” The resolution passed unanimously.

The all-candidates debate took place in the second part of the afternoon to allow delegates to discover the respective candidates’ platforms for tomorrow’s national elections.

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Convention Day Two – We Have a Budget!

The Credentials Committee reported first thing in the morning that we have 180 delegates at this year’s Triennial Convention. After some administrative announcements, it was right back to business with the Finance Committee and a lively debate on the budget. Delegates got behind all the work done and passed the budget with a strong showing of support.

Next, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee presented its report. Three resolutions were debated and voted on:

  • CS 2 – The National Vice-President for Human Rights
  • CS 1 – Statement of Duties – National Vice-President for Occupational Health and Safety
  • CS 3 – Abolishment of Term Limits in 2026

Resolutions CS 2 and CS 1 passed, while CS 3 was defeated.

Following lunch, Larry Rousseau, CLC Executive Vice-President, gave the Convention a passionate speech that energized the delegates and left them singing in the hall.

The General Resolutions Committee were next up and dealt with three resolutions in the afternoon:

  • Composite GEN 7A – PSAC – Strike Pay
  • GEN 3 – UNE National Youth Conference – Each Cycle
  • GEN 12 – PSAC and any Canadian Labour Congress Sanctioned Education Event

All three resolutions were passed by the Convention Floor.

We hope all the delegates had a great time in the evening at the Royal Ontario Museum!

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Are you Ready for Convention?

With Convention just a few days away, we hope you have your travel booked, your suitcase dug out of the attic and your devices charged and ready to go. Hopefully you have time to cut the lawn one more time too.

We are pleased to let you know that all Convention documents are now available on the UNE website at https://en.unesen.ca/events/convention/Binder.php

In preparation for next week, we highly recommend you go through the documents so you are ready to go from the outset.

Convention Information

This section includes important information on subjects such as the Convention agenda, UNE’s Attendance Policy, Environmental Sensitivities Policy, Statement on Harassment and some nice light reading on the Acronyms used by our Union. We also have a policy about bringing in outside food. Some members life threatening allergic reactions to scents and some foods, so please read this section carefully.

Convention Procedures

Documents that outline the rules and procedures for Convention, such as the PSAC Rules of Order, Tiling Guidelines and the PSAC Constitution are also available on the website. We encourage you to read them in advance. Be sure to join us on Sunday for Delegate training for a “Convention 101” presentation where you will have the opportunity to find answers to your questions.

Reports and Accompanying Documents

During Convention business, delegates will be presented with resolutions from the reports of the three Convention Committees. The reports are available on the website for you to look at in advance.

We can’t wait to see you in Toronto! If you have any last minute questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at events@une-sen.org.

In solidarity,

The UNE Events Team

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Are You Ready for Convention?

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

All Convention documentation will be available and updated electronically on the UNE website. As such, you should bring your laptop and/or tablet to follow along when discussing resolutions and Convention business. Should you require an electronic device be provided to you, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Members who require a paper copy of Convention documents may make a request to be accommodated.

TRAVEL

You should plan to arrive at the Sheraton Center Hotel, in Toronto by the evening of Saturday August 19, 2023.

Delegates travelling by air are required to make their arrangements with WE Travel for all air travel bookings. The toll-free number for WE travel Ottawa is 1-888-676-7747 and WE Travel Vancouver is 1-800-663-4703. They have been instructed to have you travel to Toronto on Saturday, August 19, 2023. Your return flight should have you depart Toronto after 6 p.m. on Friday, August 25, 2023. Should you be unable to arrive home before 10 p.m. that evening, you can choose to stay overnight at the hotel and depart Saturday morning.
Should there be any requirement to modify air travel arrangements from the proposed schedule, such arrangements must be approved in advance by the UNE office. Please contact Suzanne Boucher at Suzanne.boucher@une-sen.org or at 613-560-4359 to coordinate your travel requirements.

If you are not traveling by air, in order to be reimbursed, delegates must keep all receipts for transportation such as taxis, buses, and parking.

**Delegates in the GTA using their personal automobile will be reimbursed for mileage and parking at the hotel.

ACCOMMODATION

Reservations will be made for you to arrive at the Sheraton Center Hotel, in Toronto on the evening of August 19, 2023 and depart the evening of August 25, 2023.

FAMILY CARE

The Union of National Employees reimburses family care expenses in an effort to encourage full participation in union activities by members whom, in light of their family responsibilities, may otherwise be unable to do so. When you send your expense claim, please provide a receipt signed by the person providing the service. The receipt must clearly indicate the hours and dates of service. Please see the Family Care Forms for further information.
In addition, on-site childcare will be provided during Convention activities. Please indicate whether you require on-site childcare when you register online or send the attached Family Care Form. Last-minute registrations may not be accommodated.

FINANCIAL ALLOWANCES

Delegates will be reimbursed travel costs in accordance with regular UNE Policy. With respect to accommodation, delegate accommodation will be prepaid by the component (room and tax only). Incidental expenses are the delegate’s responsibility.
During registration, you will receive an expense claim to be completed for all expenses and loss of salary. Please submit your claim for reimbursement to the UNE convention office at the hotel or mail the claim to the UNE office in Ottawa, following the convention.

USE OF YOUR PERSONAL CONTACT INFORMATION

As a delegate, you have the right and responsibility to make informed decisions on issues which will be presented to you, including the election of your UNE Officers. Similarly, members who run for elected office within the UNE (candidates) have the right and responsibility to communicate with convention delegates.
As a result, upon request, candidates are entitled to receive your personal contact information from the UNE. Personal contact information includes your name, address, phone number and email address. Your personal contact information will be shared on a need-to-know basis only. Therefore, candidates may only obtain personal contact information from members who are entitled to vote on the position for which they are seeking elected office (e.g. candidates who run for National positions, or candidates who run for Regional Vice-President in your region only). Candidates may only use this information to communicate with you about their candidacy. They are also required to safeguard your personal contact information in accordance with UNE Privacy policies (Refer to Policy CE1).

Should you have any further questions, please contact Suzanne Boucher at 613-560-4359 or by email at events@une-sen.org.

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Deadline Extended for Convention Registration and Resolution Submission

Due to the current climate facing our Union, we understand many of our members are either on strike or working hard to achieve Local Conformance. As a result, UNE has extended the deadline for Convention Registration and submission of Resolutions.

The new deadline is Monday, May 15, 2023 at midnight EST.

Convention Registration

Members need to submit their credential forms, minutes showing their election, Local finances and complete the online registration. Full details are in the callout on the website here.

Resolutions

Members should submit their resolutions and supporting documentation electronically on our website. You can find all the details here.

Click here to visit the Convention section of the website.

If you have any questions, please contact the UNE Events team at events@une-sen.org

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Reminder! Submit Your Resolutions Today!

This is a reminder to all UNE members that we are less than three weeks away from the deadline to submit resolutions. The Convention Committees, where resolutions will be discussed, are scheduled to take place in Ottawa June 12-15.

How Can You Get Your Resolutions To Us?

Option 1

Locals should appoint a Convention resolutions committee; these are normally made up of three to five members. Some Locals may prefer to appoint a committee for each resolution topic: constitution and bylaws, finance, and general resolutions. Your Local should issue a notice asking members to submit resolutions to your Convention resolutions committee. Allow plenty of time for the committee to prepare a report. Members of the committee should also be encouraged to submit their own resolutions. Each committee’s report and additional resolutions should be presented during a general membership meeting. This meeting should provide ample time to debate resolutions before members cast a vote.

Option 2

Any member in good standing can submit a resolution to Convention by having it co-signed by five other members in good standing.

Submit Your Resolution Online

You should submit your resolutions electronically on our website. Completing this process significantly reduces the time required to prepare resolutions for committee review in June.

Submit Supporting Documentation

The resolutions you submit online must also be supported by signed minutes verifying that the resolution was adopted during a general membership meeting. You can download the resolution template on our Convention page here.

Please send scanned versions of these hard copies to the attention of Ateau Zola by email at resolutions@une-sen.org.

You can also submit by fax at 613-560-4208, or by mail at: Union of National Employees 900-150 Isabella St. Ottawa (ON) K1S 1V7.

Resolutions received after April 21, 2023 will be deemed late and will be dealt with after all other resolutions.

Questions about resolutions?

Please contact Ateau Zola at resolutions@une-sen.org or at 613-560-4343 or 1-800-663-6685.