Budget Woes

The year was 1969. UNDE had grown to 130 locals comprising 22,500 members but was suffering from severe financial problems – running a 12-month deficit of $18,480 mainly because of unbudgeted collective bargaining committees. As if to rub salt into the wound, a $40,000 loan had to be negotiated from the Halifax Dockyard Credit Union to provide monies to pay for the 1969 convention in Halifax.

Ken Green proposed a tough new budget that would increase per capita dues from $1.35 to $5.40. Unfortunately he got little support from the National Executive and even less from the 61 Locals he visited. PSAC, however, was quite interested since some of the items potentially overlapped with its authority.

Not surprisingly Green was in for a rough ride at the Halifax Convention in August. Some members felt he was duplicating PSAC responsibilities, others did not even like the component system and a few were quite simply not fond of Green himself.

Meeting late into Wednesday evening, the Finance Committee became so fractious, it decided to adjourn for the day. The majority left, but some members stayed because nobody had seconded the motion. Shenanigans and machinations abounded. When the dust finally settled the next day, the Convention approved a watered down program financed by only $1.92 dues.

Ken Green accused the Committee of trying to “destroy his component.” The Convention itself moved to reconsider the budget, but its motion failed by 10 votes. The end result was that UNDE was reduced to a “stand-still” position for much of the following three years. Grass roots participation at bargaining committee meetings had to be suspended and UNDE’s ventures into more progressive education were curtailed.