My name is Andrea (she/ella), and I am running for the General Vice President (GVP) position at our local. I have been an international worker, Unit 1 teaching assistant, and course instructor at the sociology department since arriving at U of T in 2017. My work in CUPE 3902 dates to the beginning of my Ph.D. studies in sociology. I became a departmental steward in 2018 and held that position until 2020. As a departmental steward, I ensured members were aware of their rights and pushed the Sociology Department to make their hiring process more standardized and transparent. I also collaborated with the Graduate Sociology Students’ Association (GSSA) as a member of the executive board. I worked toward improving the situation of students in the department, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic hit us.

In 2019, I became the international steward to ensure that our local was more responsive to the concerns and needs of the international and racialized workers at U of T. As an international steward, I collaborated closely with the Graduate Students’ Union (GSU) International Students’ Council to meet international students and workers’ needs. We held several socials and workshops and collaborated with university offices in orientations for international students. I also restarted the meetings of the International Workers Caucus, which sought to bring international workers together through community-building and organizing. I have always strived to collaborate with like-minded organizations, including other locals, within and outside the university. I hope to continue expanding that important solidarity work as a GVP.

In 2019, I also became a mobilization steward. In that role, I saw the efforts of rank-and-file members get together to design plans for mobilization and prepare for collective agreement negotiations. During my time on the mobilization committee, I was also a part of the team that organized several mobilization efforts when Unit 1 negotiated its new collective agreement in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021, including postering of St. George campus. We held pickets and sit-ins in different parts of downtown Toronto and satellite campuses. I am firmly committed to organizing and mobilizing and that can be seen in my work at CUPE 3902, as well as in the co-founding and management of The People’s Pantry – Toronto, a food justice mutual aid network.

As we move into a new academic year in which we will have to negotiate new collective agreements, I will work with other executive members and stewards in creating strategies for more inclusive collective action. I am committed to advancing our local’s objectives of uniting and organizing workers at the local, provincial, and national levels. I seek to advocate for CUPE 3902 members’ needs in the different spaces we participate in and seek new connections and alliances with other organizations within and beyond the labour movement and the provincial government. I have been involved with CUPE 3902 for over five years and I am ready to be part of your executive committee.

 

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I, Andrea Mariana Roman Alfaro, hereby declare that to the best of my knowledge the following
is true and correct, except as disclosed in this form:
– I do not have actual, potential, or perceived personal interest in any matters related to my
potential role with CUPE 3902 which could affect my ability to act impartially in the best
interests of CUPE 3902.
– I do not have any friends, family members, business partners or other acquaintances who
have a personal interest in any matters related to my potential role with CUPE 3902
which could affect my ability to act impartially in the best interests of CUPE 3902.
– I do not have any actual, potential, or perceived personal interest in any matters related to
my role with CUPE 3902 which could affect my ability to act honestly and impartially, to
fulfill my duties and perform my role with CUPE 3902.
– I do not have any actual, potential, or perceived personal interest in any matters related to
my role with CUPE 3902 which could be considered by a reasonable person to
potentially affect my ability to perform or to act honestly and impartially, to fulfill my
duties and perform my role with CUPE 3902.