The following positions are up for election:  Chief Steward, Secretary, Treasurer, and Trustee.

The election will be held Thursday, March 11th

Burnaby Campus 11:00 am -3:00 pm

Surrey Campus 11:00 am-3:00 pm

Friday, March 12th

Burnaby Campus 11:00 am-3:00 pm

Harbour Centre 11:00 am-3:00 pm

Please take a minute to read the candidate statements below.

Chief Steward: Scott Drake

I am very excited about running for re-election the Chief Steward position.  As Chief Steward, I would continue to work to ensure that the terms and conditions of the Collective Agreement are front and center in the minds of those who make decisions that affect TAs, T/Ms, Sessionals and ELC/ITP instructors.  I believe in members’ asserting their rights under the Collective Agreement.  I will make sure that members know their rights and support their ability to assert them, including advocating at all levels of the university to make this a reality.  Having said this and being a member myself, I recognize our unique situation, in that we have no seniority rights and are often dependent on our employers in ways that exceed the Collective Agreement.  I believe that our union should advocate for members through the assertion of collective rights embedded in the Collective Agreement, and in my capacity as Chief Steward I will continue to take up this challenge.  I will continue to develop and maintain a strong stewards’ network as a means of communication because the source of the TSSU’s knowledge and strength comes from members telling their stories.  Having been involved in contract committee work since 2008, I look forward to being able to fight for us at the bargaining table. In addition, as an executive member I would be (and have been) committed to our union as a non-hierarchical collective based on feminist principles of solidarity and equality with a role to play in larger struggles for social justice, including the increased commodification of post-secondary education under neo-liberal policies.  As a union, we are on the front line of these struggles and even if the university appears to have given in to the “reality” of impending cuts, we should not.  Our union is only as strong as its workers and in the role of Chief Steward I will help bring our many strengths together.

I am hoping to finish my PhD in English this summer, having completed my MA studies at SFU.  During my time at SFU I have been active within the TSSU in a number of different roles, all of which have helped me gain an appreciation and understanding of the diversity of issues which we face.  Having worked as a Teaching Assistant and Sessional Instructor, I have a strong awareness of a variety of concerns from different aspects of our membership.  Within the TSSU I have occupied two Salaried Officer positions—Chief Steward (March 2009-present) and Coordinator (July 2008-March 2009)—and been an executive member as since 2007 (Chair, August 2007-July 2008).  In different capacities I have participated in numerous committees, including Executive, Contract, Grievance, Contract Research, Finance, Internal Relations, Communications and Staff Restructuring.  I began my activism with the TSSU in 2005-2006 as a Steward for the English department.  We have accomplished a lot of work in the past two years, but there remains much to be done to ensure that our membership gets the respect that it deserves.  I look forward to the privilege of being able to be a part of making this happens.

Secretary: Kevin Partridge
I am a first year MA student in the department of Sociology and Anthropology. I did a previous BA in history in the 1980s at SFU and a Post Baccalaureate in the two years prior to starting my grad studies. I was initially involved in the TSSU social justice committee before becoming a grad student. I am currently representing the general membership on the bargaining committee. I am still involved in the SA student union as a grad liaison and actively involved in a number of projects through the grad caucus of our department.
Having spent many years out of school before returning, I would bring much experience working within numerous organisations to the job of secretary. I am articulate, a good listener and have already proven my ability to work with many of the people already involved in the union. I am very much aware that this year the union may be under significant pressure due to the expiration of our current contract and the current pressures from the provincial government and the university administration. I have a strong commitment to the progressive, feminist politics that the TSSU endorses. I am very much interested in not only defending and expanding our rights as workers but also our rights as students and people. I would be pleased to fulfill part of the organisational requirements of the union by working as the secretary.

In solidarity,
Kevin

Treasurer: Carina Nilsson