CUPE 4600 is saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our past president, Kevin Partridge.

The union will remember Kevin as being exceptionally dedicated to the local, serving as Unit 1 Chief Steward, then as union President. Kevin was a member of our executive board for nearly a decade, taking the local through a number of important grievances, campaigns, and the local’s first unofficial strike.

Long term members will remember Kevin to have been a tireless advocate for workers at Carleton, and an unflinching advocate for indigenous rights, marginalized communities, and the labour movement beyond Carleton.

Those of us who have had the pleasure of knowing Kevin and working with him will miss him greatly. In honour and in remembrance of Kevin, let’s keep fighting for improved working conditions at Carleton and beyond, and let’s never stop sticking it to the man.

Rest in power, comrade.

Those who would like to contribute to Kevin’s tribute page can do so here.

From May 28th to 31st, our President Ryan Conrad and Vice-President Internal Maria Vorobeva attended the CUPE Ontario Convention. It was an opportunity for our team to meet with the leadership of other CUPE locals across the province. During the convention we learned about common issues affecting all locals within Ontario such as the impact of Doug Ford’s budget cuts across all public sectors; policies silencing public demonstrations like bubble zone bylaws that have been implemented or proposed across the province and is currently being drafted by Ottawa city council; and the increased surveillance of workers across public services accelerated through the use of new AI technologies.

We also met with working groups within CUPE Ontario such as the Pink Triangle Committee to coordinate on issues involving LGBTQ+ workers, the International Solidarity Committee to discuss international collaboration among workers, and the Young Workers Committee to discuss issues relevant to young public sector workers across Ontario. We collaborated with locals in these groups to pass many resolutions, including ones to launch campaigns opposing the stifling of public demonstrations, extend the cut-off age for young workers within CUPE Ontario from 30 to 35, and our local’s resolution for support for the University sector in gaining access to and transparency with financial information from our Universities. We also pledged donations to other locals that were on strike at the time such as 1750 (representing WSIB workers), 5525 (representing personal care assistants at Villa Columbo Homes) and 2073 (representing Canadian Hearing Services workers).

Ryan met with Fred Hahn, President of CUPE Ontario, and Ryan Culpepper, chair of the post secondary education sector, to discuss CUPE 4600’s needs and challenges to our upcoming bargaining round. Most importantly, they discussed the need for a clear remedy for locals facing outstanding Bill 124 settlement issues with their stubborn and unsympathetic employers.

While many of the connections we made were positive, some aspects of the convention were disappointing. When reviewing CUPE Ontario’s action plan we pointed out that they did not have anything that directly addressed the issues plaguing the university and post-secondary public education sector.

• Nothing on the cuts to jobs
• Nothing on the increased financialization of Universities and the anti-worker policies implemented by university administrations and the Ford government
• Nothing on the increased focus on militarization of the education sector

We brought up our concerns and await the release of the updated Action Plan to see if our raised concerns are addressed. 

Overall we worked hard to push the needs of our local and our sector. We extend our connections throughout the province to strengthen our position as we enter into bargaining with the employer in the fall. Should we take labour action, we know other CUPE locals will have our back as we have theirs!

Per our last news post re: the Joint Statement by the Canadian Union of Public
Employees, Local 4600, and Carleton University, The University has created a
new Hardship Fund for Union members who, at the time of application by the
member, are facing urgent and current special circumstances resulting in
immediate financial instability or hardship.

The Hardship Fund is available to CUPE Local 4600 Members experiencing
financial hardship. This fund is only available to Members of the Local in good standing.

In order to apply, you must have:

• Held a TAship or internally-funded RAship in the past 12 months, and/or
• Held a CI contract within the past 24 months

Exceptions: If you have not held a TA/RAship within the past 12 months, or a CI contract within the past 24 months, you may be eligible for the hardship fund if
you are on approved medical, pregnancy, or parental leave.

Members may access up to $2000 dollars per term until the fund is exhausted.
Exceptional circumstances will be considered for additional funds.

The Hardship Fund will be accepting a first round of applications until July 31,
2025 – after which all applications will be reviewed and processed by members
of the Executive Board and CUPE 4600 staff. Responses and payments will go
out by mid-August.

If there are remaining funds, the application window will reopen in the Fall
semester.

Please see the full Hardship Fund Guidelines here.

If you would like to learn more, please attend our GMM on July 16, 2025, 6-8pm
where our Legal Counsel will give a presentation.

Apply to the Hardship Fund

On December 9, 2024, the Union and the University met with a mediator to
resolve outstanding grievances relating to the Winter 2023 labour disruptions,
the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, exam scheduling, deferred
exams, and two individual Professional Development Fund applications.

The Union and the University are pleased to announce that the foregoing
grievances have now been fully and finally settled without any admission of
liability or wrongdoing by either party.

The University has created a new Hardship Fund for Union members who, at the
time of application by the member, are facing urgent and current special
circumstances resulting in immediate financial instability or hardship.
Members may apply to the Union for financial assistance if they are
experiencing:

(1) Financial hardship including, but not limited to, housing or food insecurity;
(2) Domestic violence and/or abuse, resulting in a need for financial
assistance; or
(3) Situations impacting personal health, psychological, or safety needs,
requiring financial assistance.

The Union and the University are grateful to Arbitrator Mark Wright for his
assistance during mediation.

Signed,
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 4600, and Carleton University