On April 24, 2020, the MGEU Board of Directors announced its decision to reschedule the 2020 MGEU Convention and related meetings due to the restrictions and uncertainty posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July, when pandemic conditions had improved and public health restrictions were eased, the Board attempted to proceed with the convention process by holding Local meetings to elect convention delegates, pass convention resolutions, and hold Local table officer elections. Unfortunately, before these meetings could even begin, the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Manitoba required their cancellation.

Given this experience and ongoing uncertainty about how the pandemic will impact meetings and gatherings over the next year, the Board directed staff to develop options for proceeding with convention and related meetings and elections using remote technologies.

At its November meeting, the Board adopted a plan to hold a two-day convention in October, 2021, using remote (virtual) technologies. The convention agenda will include:

  • Election of Provincial Officers;
  • Review and approval of the audited financial statements;
  • Review and approval of the annual budget;
  • Review of Board motions to amend the usual constitutional process for elections and convention during the pandemic;
  • Consideration of constitutional amendments to improve the union’s ability to deal with extraordinary circumstances, such as the current pandemic;
  • Consideration of the report of the committee established by the 2018 convention to research the advantages and disadvantages of moving to a three-year convention/elections cycle; and
  • Consideration of the Board’s recommendation to hold a two-day, in-person Special Convention in June, 2022 to address resolutions submitted by MGEU members.

Area Council and Component Executive election meetings to fill Area Director, Component Director, and Standing Committee positions will be held using remote technology during the three weeks following convention.

Convention delegates will be elected at Local meetings to be held remotely between April and June of 2021. All of these meetings will be held remotely, regardless of how small or large the Local.

The agenda for these Local meetings will include:

  • Election of delegates to the October, 2021 convention;
  • Election of Local Table Officers and other Local positions; and
  • Debate on the report of the committee established by the 2018 convention to research the advantages and disadvantages of moving to a three-year convention/elections cycle.

The current term of office for all Local and provincial officer positions will continue until the October, 2021 Convention, and the new term will begin the day after convention.

If the October, 2021 convention endorses the Board recommendation to have a two-day, in-person Special Convention in June, 2022 to address resolutions submitted by MGEU Locals, Local meetings to vote on resolutions for this Special Convention, as well as the 2022 NUPGE Convention, will take place in-person between February and March of 2022. The ability to conduct these meetings and the Special Convention is dependent on the hope that the pandemic will be over by 2022.

Precise dates for all of the above meetings will be determined in the coming months and details about how members will be able to participate in remote (virtual) meetings will be provided in updates once they are finalized.

Any member who wishes to receive these updates and participate in virtual meetings is asked to update their contact information online (including a valid personal e-mail address) or reach out to the MGEU Resource Centre to provide their updated contact information.