May 13th was the VTU's first official Member Meeting, organized by the Interim Steering Committee. Here's what happened...

Item 1: Community Agreements

The meeting started with introducing our Community Agreements, which will be a critical component to all our meetings. They are:

1. One-mic - means to respect each others speaking time.

2. Speak Up/Listen Up - means that people who are comfortable should step up on their listening skills and people who tend not to speak should step up speaking more.

3. Break It Down - explaining words or phrases that are unclear/ inaccessible.

4. Respect Each Other - oppressive behaviour will not be tolerated.

5. Challenge Ideas, Not People - disagreements should be expressed with what people have said and not the people themselves.

6. Be Present

7. Take Care Of Yourself - do what is best for your physical and emotional well being

Item 2: Round of introductions for everyone present

Item 3: Discussion about advocacy & the VTU's tenant organizing goals

• Training our members to be tenant organizers (TOs)

• Building up our legal advocate support team (which is really big right now thanks to Liam and Justin’s networks) to work in tandem with TOs

• Helping tenants individually where needed

• More ideally, helping tenants connect and take actions collectively with others in their buildings and independently

• Bringing these tenants into VTU training so they can learn to help others

• Helping tenants celebrate their victories

Item 4: Introducing Working Groups:

1. West End Tenants Forum (for end of May)

2. Car Free Day Booths (June)

3.  Planning Renovictions Forum 

4. Demonstration Kit Committee

5. Fundraising Committee 

Item 5: VTU First Convention Planning

-Aiming for date in the Fall 

-Elect Union Leadership

-Write our Constitution/By-laws

-Organizer training

-Tenant Union knowledge sharing with organizers in the US

Item 6:

Next General Membership Meeting set for June 10th. Time & Location TBA

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