Meet Your U1 Lead Steward Candidates!
Nominations for Officer positions for the 2026-27 term closed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 28, 2026 and the positions of Lead Steward, Unit 1 were contested thus will proceed to an election!
Info and how to vote after the statements below.
Here are the candidates and their statements:
Lead Steward, Unit 1
Julian Nickel
My name is Julian Nickel, I am a TA and PhD candidate in the department of Physics. I am interested in the position of Lead Steward Unit 1 (and therefore Bargaining Support Committee chair) because I want to use my experience, knowledge and connections to build as much power as possible during Unit 1 bargaining to get Unit 1 members the best possible contract. I want to bring my organizing fundamentals, the lessons I learned on the BSC in the last bargaining round, and my ideas for new tactics to catch the university off guard. I am very knowledgeable about the bargaining process and have already used this knowledge to draft a rough bargaining support plan.
For particular improvements to bargaining strategy, I would like to implement:
More frequent communications on the actions of the BSC to stewards and members involved in the campaign
Planning strike logistics earlier to be prepared in the case of a strike
Building more solidarity with undergraduate groups on campus
Involving stewards in decision making and planning work earlier in the campaign
For the past three years I have dedicated almost all of my free time to organizing on campus. In the last round of bargaining I was a member of the Bargaining Support Committee, where I was known for my dedication to door knocking, one-on-one conversations, and love of groupchats. Midway through this process, after hearing about a move to defund the UTGSU at a meeting, I organized dozens of course unions to force a by-election with a small group and re-orientated that organization.
I spent the following year as the VP Academics Divisions 3 & 4 at the UTGSU, where I founded the Base Funding Committee to push for liveable funding for all graduate students. We launched a petition which had reached over 2500 signatures demanding an increase to 40k/year in funding for all graduate students when the university made their announcement increasing PhD and SJD funding.
Understanding the severe limitations of the new funding scheme (and especially the lack of central funding) I moved back to CUPE 3902 last year as the Communications and Recording Secretary to try to build the power necessary to fundamentally challenge the profit-seeking direction of the university. In this position I developed a proficiency in executing, and creating communications for, organizing campaigns as well as further developed my knowledge of Union and University structure.
Besides the things I have listed above I also have been directly involved in organizing campaigns for cheaper transit and BDS. I believe that when we organize and struggle in one campaign we gain strength for other struggles. As a lead steward and BSC chair I would want to build this power for our community inside and outside the university.
Conflict of interest statement: I have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Luca DiPietro
Candidate Statement – Luca DiPietro (Lead Steward 1)
Hello! It is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Luca DiPietro, and I am a JD/MBA candidate at the Faculty of Law and the Rotman School of Management. I am running to serve as Lead Steward for Unit 1 of the CUPE Local 3902 because I believe in the power of member‑driven unions to transform working and learning conditions at the University of Toronto. Too often, voices are sidelined and are unable to contribute meaningfully to the conversations shaping our day-to-day realities. As Lead Steward, I hope to help create a CUPE 3902 where every member feels seen, supported, and heard as a catalyst for improving our working conditions.
My commitment to this role is grounded in years of experience advocating for student needs at the University of Toronto. As a Residence Don, I have supported students through academic, financial, and personal challenges—learning to listen deeply, respond with compassion, and navigate institutional resources to pursue meaningful outcomes for those within my care. As President of the Rotman Commerce Students’ Association, I spearheaded advocacy efforts for 3,000+ Rotman Commerce students, ensuring their academic and student‑life needs are heard and addressed. These roles have taught me how to build community, gain appreciation for a wide variety of student perspectives, communicate effectively with constituents and senior administration, and lead successful initiatives.
Unit 1 needs a Lead Steward who grasps the complexity of our working conditions and the areas where they must improve, particularly as we enter a bargaining year. I have served as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Toronto for four years. I have a true understanding of the pressures and issues that education workers face, while recognizing that each department presents its own unique set of needs.
Additionally, I bring a background in legal analysis. My experience parsing legal texts equips me with the ability to interpret our Collective Agreement, advocate effectively in labour‑management settings, and support members navigating grievances or workplace issues.
If elected, I plan to focus on two core priorities:
Engaging ALL Departments Within Unit 1: Many departments are unfamiliar with the supports available to them when workplace issues arise. I plan to work with Lead Stewards and Grievance Officers to conduct greater outreach to departments that have traditionally had limited engagement with CUPE 3902, ensuring they have accessible support.
Committed Bargaining: Unit 1 members deserve wages, workplace conditions, and protections that reflect the significant contributions they make to the University of Toronto’s mission. I will advocate for bargaining goals that represent the needs of our departments and work collaboratively with our Executive Committee to advance them.
I would be honoured to earn your trust and your vote. Thank you for your consideration.
Conflict of interest statement: I have no conflicts to disclose that may impair my ability to serve in this role.
Election Date: The election for Lead Steward, Unit 1, will take place on Friday, April 17, 2026 and polls will be open between 9:00am and 7:00pm.
How to Vote: Voting will take place by electronic ballot using SimplyVoting. A ballot will be sent automatically by email to all eligible voters at 9:00am on April 17, 2026. It is possible that this email arrives in your “other”, “spam” or “junk” folder so please check these folders if you do not receive your ballot in your main inbox.
Voter Eligibility: Members registered as political members by April 16, 2026 at 9:00pm will automatically receive a ballot. If you do not receive a ballot and believe that you should have received one then please email cro@cupe3902.org by 1:00pm on April 17, 2026.
You should have political membership if you have done bargaining unit work within the past 12 months and you have signed your Union card.
If you’re not sure about this, log into the Member Portal and check that the field labeled “CUPE No.” has a value.
If it does not, then sign your Union card using your Member ID and the form linked at the bottom of this email. For support, email website@cupe3902.org.
