Nominations Open
GUIDE
The Guide is an Executive Board role. They are responsible for running New Member Orientations, checking in members to General Membership meetings and ensuring processes at meetings are following local Union Bylaws and the Unifor National Constitution.
Hello Unifor 5555 Siblings, my name is Hilary Jenkins and I am running for the position of Guide
on our Local Executive. For the past two years I’ve been the Elections Committee Chair, which
means that I’ve met and worked with many of you as you navigated the election process. I’ve
spent a lot of time reading and reviewing our local by-laws as well as the Unifor Constitution,
necessary work that isn’t always at the top of list for many people! I’m a Research Scientist in
the McMaster NMR Facility, and I train all of our new users – from novices to experts – both in
large groups and one-on-one. I’ve also had the privilege to talk to several groups about
accessibility in our labs, and I’m an active member of the McMaster Accessibility Community of
Practice as well as the Employee Accessibility Network. I’m a past Chair of a non-profit board of
directors, giving me a lot of experience with meetings and protocols. Last September I attended
the Unifor Women’s Conference, and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, inspiring
me to move forward with my commitment to the local, and to all of you. I bring enthusiasm for
training, I love deep dives into documentation, and I look forward to serving the local as Guide.
I urge you to vote for me during the coming election!
Hello my Union siblings! My name is Andrew Whitney and I want to bring my energy to Union Orientation sessions in the important role of GUIDE for our Local. As a colleague, Steward, Trustee, member of the Unit 1 Bargaining/Workplace and Pride Committees, and past Conference delegate, I leverage my personal experience in Stand-Up and Improv comedy to inject fun and laughs wherever our content might be craving it. I am confident that I can do the same as Guide if given the opportunity.
VOTE ANDREW WHITNEY AS GUIDE FOR LOCAL 5555!
Ontario Regional Council
Ontario Regional Council meets once a year and matters related specifically to the Ontario region are discussed, debated and voted on.
My name is Hilary Jenkins and I am running as a Delegate for the Ontario Regional Council. For
the past two years I’ve been the local’s Elections Committee Chair, which means that I’ve met
and worked with many of you as you navigated the election process, and, along with the
Elections Committee, I’ve presented our election results as they’ve come available. I’m
motivated to move beyond this role with the local and into a role as Delegate by recent
legislation put forward by the Ford Government, such as the Right to Disconnect (which didn’t
go far enough) and the Electronic Monitoring Policy (which goes too far), both of which resulted
in policies you would have seen from our employer in the last year. Similarly, the Accessibility
for Ontarions with Disabilities Act (AODA) is resulting in new policies by employers that are at
the bare minimum for our disabled siblings.
I’ve been in my current role as Research Scientist in the McMaster NMR Facility since 2008. I’m
Past Chair of a non-profit board of directors, and I have experience with implementing the
policies I’ve mentioned above. Last September I attended the Unifor Women’s Conference, and
it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, inspiring me to move forward with my
commitment to the local. I bring energy and enthusiasm to every role, and I look forward to
serving as a Delegate to the Ontario Regional Council.
Having recently retired from an Administrative Assistant position at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, it occurred to me that I am now able to run for Canadian Council, Delegate to Constitutional Convention, and Delegate on Ontario Regional Council as I have more time and give my all to these positions.
In the past, I attended most of the conferences using my vacation time and own funding as I didn’t wish to inconvenience my department by seeking release time and burden unifor5555 by requesting funding or seeking election positions in order to attend these functions. I found these interesting and have attended many as an Observer. Now, I wish to have a voice and express the intentions of the retirees which is the reason I am running for the unifor5555 election positions.
Previously, I have worked for various governments and non-profit agencies dealing with people from all walks of life. Through my own life experiences and hardships, I can better understand the financial difficulties and personal barriers that affect most people. By running for these union positions, I hope to bring about change and assist where I can.
The McMaster Retirees Chapter is strong and as the years progress, more and more retirees will join the chapter, so it is important to establish a precedent for attending these functions now while the Retirees Chapter is still young. Please vote for me and I will do my best for you.
Canada Council (2024)
Canada Council meets once a year and matters related to our National Union are discussed, debated and voted on.
As Secretary-Treasurer since 2022, I have learned so much and it’s been a pleasure serving in
this role. I have enjoyed getting to know members, planning events and activities, and taking
care of the Local’s building and finances. I have also been Chair/Co-Chair of the Women’s
Committee for the past 7 years which has been very fulfilling and enriching work.
I was elected as delegate for ORC, Unifor Constitution Convention, and ETOP for 2022-24,
where I’ve attended councils and made new connections and brought new ideas and motivation
to my role. I have nominated myself for Canada Council as I would love to continue engaging
with people representing other locals across Canada and bringing back what I’ve learned along
with new ideas for our Local. As Canada Council delegate, I would bring the perspective of our
workplace to Council and represent our Local well. I have the opportunity to attend this year and
would love the opportunity to attend next year as well. I am proud to represent our Local 5555
members in my everyday work.
I would be honoured to be a delegate for Canada Council for 2024. Thank you for your support!
Having recently retired from an Administrative Assistant position at the McMaster Nuclear Reactor, it occurred to me that I am now able to run for Canadian Council, Delegate to Constitutional Convention, and Delegate on Ontario Regional Council as I have more time and give my all to these positions.
In the past, I attended most of the conferences using my vacation time and own funding as I didn’t wish to inconvenience my department by seeking release time and burden unifor5555 by requesting funding or seeking election positions in order to attend these functions. I found these interesting and have attended many as an Observer. Now, I wish to have a voice and express the intentions of the retirees which is the reason I am running for the unifor5555 election positions.
Previously, I have worked for various governments and non-profit agencies dealing with people from all walks of life. Through my own life experiences and hardships, I can better understand the financial difficulties and personal barriers that affect most people. By running for these union positions, I hope to bring about change and assist where I can.
The McMaster Retirees Chapter is strong and as the years progress, more and more retirees will join the chapter, so it is important to establish a precedent for attending these functions now while the Retirees Chapter is still young. Please vote for me and I will do my best for you.
The Election Committee runs all elections in our Local. They are responsible for ensuring that nominations and voting are run in a fair and equitable manner, in keeping with the guidelines in our By-Laws and the Unifor National Constitution. They are also responsible for ensuring that candidates are eligible to serve, and follow the rules for campaigning.