My name is Gavin Hermanson, I’m a planner in the engineering department at the City, and I’ve accepted the nomination to run for the Full-Time Officer position. Though I’ve only been an executive director with CUPE Local 387 since April of this year, I believe I have the skills and motivations to succeed in this position. I’m eager to tackle the bigger-picture issues in the workplace, work to further our strategic goals, and help the membership navigate day-to-day problems and challenges at the City. I enjoy working with, and for people. The relationships I’ve built across the organization in my two and a half years at the employer are a testament to this.
I’ve taken a handful of the CUPE training courses and am registered to take a whole host of courses this fall to bring my formal labour education up to a level that fits this position.
Lastly, I believe in the power of our collective action. We are facing levels of economic inequality not seen in Canada in the past hundred years, the rise of anti-worker legislation in many Provinces, Federal union-busting at the behest of corporations, and the backsliding of democracy in many areas of the world. The relevance of unions and importance of organized labour has never been more clear. I became an urban planner to solve problems and make the world around me a little better. These motivations hold true as to why I’d like to be the Full-Time Officer.
Thank you for your consideration,
Gavin
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Should Gavin win the position of Full Time Officer, his current position of Executive Director (Term ending in April 2026) will become vacant and up for immediate election. Nominations would then be accepted from the floor for this position.