MoveUP Convention 2024

Pre-Convention Call

Every three years MoveUP holds a three-day convention to determine policy and political direction, consider changes to our union’s constitution, and elect the vice-presidents. Our constitution defines convention as “the supreme decision-making body of the union.”

The 2024 convention will be held in Vancouver from September 12 to 14 (caucuses will be held on September 11). In mid-June, potential delegates will receive notice of convention along with a form that can be used to express interest in being a delegate to convention. The rules for delegate entitlements are laid out in the constitution, which is available on the MoveUP website. Your executive councillors will assist in conducting local delegate elections. Convention is a great opportunity to learn more about your union and have a say in how it runs.

Members interested in running for the executive board will have until June 3, 2024 to submit a nomination form. The president and secretary-treasurer, along with other board members, are elected via one-member-one-vote system, with constituencies electing their particular board reps. All members will get the chance to vote for these positions via electronic balloting. Vice-presidents will be elected at convention by delegates.

Submitting policy resolutions

Members can also submit their policy resolutions to convention even if they are not planning to attend as a delegate. Here is how it works:

1. Identify the issue or policy you are focusing on.
2. Determine the action you would like your union to take. This can be as simple as endorsing a policy or can involve your union taking action such as forming a committee, holding an event, or adopting a major policy change.
3. Draft a succinct resolution that briefly gives background on the issue and clearly defines the action you would like MoveUP to take.
4. Define the action/policy at the end of the resolution in 1-2 sentences.
5. All resolutions must be sent to the executive board, c/o Karen Caston, Director of Executive Administration, at kcaston@moveuptogether.ca. All resolutions must be received by June 14, 2024. If there are any issues with any resolutions you submit, someone from our union office will contact you.

Drafting a resolution

Submitting a resolution may seem complicated, but it really is not. It’s all about defining an issue and proposing a solution you would like your union to take.

For example, if you feel like every member should receive an ice cream cone over the summer to help fend off heat exhaustion, your resolution may look something like this:

Name: (insert your name)
Workplace: Delicious Ice Cream Company

Whereas, summers in Vancouver can be extremely hot with temperatures in the 30s;

Whereas, heat exhaustion is a serious health concern; and

Whereas, ice cream has been proven to boost worker morale and effectively combat heat exhaustion.

Therefore be it resolved, MoveUP will provide all members with one ice cream cone each summer; and

Therefore be it further resolved, MoveUP will create a committee to study the added benefit of rainbow sprinkles.

Need more guidance? Use this template.

What happens to a resolution once it is submitted?

Once a resolution has been submitted and reviewed to ensure there are no technical issues, all resolutions will go to a committee that looks through all the submissions and puts them in priority order in advance of convention. All submitted resolutions will be published and available for all delegates and members to view on MoveUP’s website.

Resolutions that hit the convention floor will be debated and voted upon by the delegates. Delegates can choose to vote in support of or against a resolution, or in some cases they can refer a resolution back to a committee with modifications.

Resolutions that do not hit the convention floor, or are referred back to a committee for further instructions but do not return to the floor by the end of convention, will be sent to MoveUP’s executive council to debate at a later time during the course of the three-year term.

How do I become a delegate to convention?

Delegates to convention are assigned based on the number of members that fall under an executive council (EC) area. MoveUP executive board members and executive councillors receive an automatic invitation to convention. If a particular EC area has more delegate spots than just for the executive councillors, then job stewards are eligible to apply to attend. If there are still spots without a delegate, members from that area may submit their intention to fill the delegate spot.

To learn more about convention eligibility and representation, see Article 12.3 of MoveUP’s constitution available on MoveUP’s website.

Delegate expense forms

Delegates who need to submit an expense form should email them to AP@moveuptogether.ca.

Convention agenda

The Convention agenda will be available at a later date. The agenda is subject to change.

Executive Council Report to Convention

This report will be available closer to the start of convention.

Bulletin Updates

Bulletin updates will be linked here. Make sure your email is updated to receive convention updates. Click here if you are not receiving emails from MoveUP.