Contributing our grain of sand to global solidarity

Following a year marked by transitions, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) has developed solid bases to continue to convey Steelworker union solidarity around the world and in our own backyard. Whether by developing opportunities for member engagement, advocating for the rights of workers, or supporting the activities of inspiring partner organizations, this annual report provides an overview of important initiatives made possible through USW member contributions in 2023. 

This year’s report provides a unique view into the multiple themes that the SHF touches on internationally, starting in Colombia, where our dedicated partners enable local communities to overcome key issues to their development. We will also explore how worker-to-worker networks and exchanges have held such an important space through our history, and why workers in the same sector or with the same employer gain significant advantages from building union connections and solidarity. We will also touch on new initiatives in Brazil and elsewhere to support women workers in predominantly male industries and occupations, and the inspiring women who made this work possible. 

While international solidarity has been at the core of the SHF’s work, an important part of our support each year focuses on supporting organizations and initiatives in Canada, and 2023 has been no exception. While ssues of food security tend to receive the most attention given our annual donations to local food banks and emergency relief, this report will also highlight our work on key social justice issues such as the situation of temporary foreign workers. Last but not least, you will also read how the SHF’s emergency relief has shifted in response to reflect growing instances of climate change-related emergencies. 

Finally, throughout the year, we received sombre reminders of the real risks regularly faced by trade union activists. In some of the countries in which our partners are active, defending workers’ rights can result in harassment, intimidation, sometimes risks for one’s job, and in some extreme cases such as what we have seen in Honduras, Madagascar and Bangladesh, threats to one’s life and freedom. The SHF continues to seek its inspiration from the dedication and sacrifice of trade unionists, as we help contribute the Steelworkers’ grain of sand to a better world. 

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