CUPE Ontario re-elects controversial Ryan
From the Toronto Star
CUPE's Sid Ryan re-elected
May 25, 2002
WINDSOR (CP) - After being re-elected as president of the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Sid Ryan said yesterday he now has the go-ahead to make his union a "militant" foe of the Conservative government.
"I've got a mandate I'm working on, making CUPE a militant union in the sense of not giving concessions to governments," the four-time president said after defeating challenger Bob Cullens by a vote of 375 to 135.
"But I'm particularly saying to the Ernie Eves government, `If you try to do what Gordon Campbell did in British Columbia - open up collective agreements and privatize CUPE jobs - we'll move straight away taking strike votes in all of our sectors and we'll create a crisis in the private sector in Ontario.' No question about it."
Windsor's Teresa Fracas, president of CUPE Local 543, defeated Don Postar 350 votes to 116 to become the union's third vice-president.
Brian O'Keefe was named secretary treasurer and Michael Hurley was named first vice-president.
Judith Mongrain was elected second vice-president while Fred Hahn was named fourth vice-president.