Aboriginal Steelworkers from coast to coast came together for the first-ever National Consultation Workshop to build a stronger union movement by sharing ideas, needs and experiences.Held in Winnipeg on July 20 and 21, the conference brought together over 60 participants.
Here’s a sneak peek of how the workshop went, in the words of the participants:
“This workshop is an opportunity. Reconciliation comes when we see ourselves–when other Canadians see Aboriginal peoples–as more than what we’ve inherited from residential schools and the Indian Act. We can be more than what we’ve been handed.”
Workshop Speaker Niigaan Sinclair
Head of Native Studies, University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jocelyn Dunstan
Haul Truck Operator
Local 7619: Highland Valley Copper
Siska Indian Band, Kamloops, British Columbia
“There are some organizations where everyone talks and nothing gets done. What the Steelworkers are doing here is great and smart of them. Because if the Aboriginal communities know you’re putting on a conference to get ideas to benefit everyone, that’s a good thing.”
John Sutherland
Equipment Operator
Local 1-2010: North American Mill Yard Services
Moose Band, Moose Factory, Thunder Bay, Ontario
“I attended because I wanted to see what there was for First Nations people, to see if there was something out there to help other First Nations in the workplace or to get other First Nations to come into the union… It would be good for our membership to have more First Nations involved in the union.”
Susan Oliverius
Electrician
Local 1-423: SRI Homes
Okanagan Indian Band, Kelowna, British Columbia
Members of the labour movement will attend a July 27 rally to support USW Local 1944, employees of Telus, in their struggle against office closures.
TORONTO – The Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) is donating a total of $20,000 to provide support to people and communities evacuated by the recent wildfires in Labrador City, N.L., and Port-Cartier, Que. More than 7,000 residents of Labrador City were ordered to evacuate last week, the biggest evacuation in the city’s history, due to a […]
The United Steelworkers union (USW) Local 1944 has launched a nationwide campaign calling on the public to support Canadian call centre workers who are losing their jobs with TELUS. You are encouraged to tell your representatives in Ottawa that it is time to stand up for Canadian call centre workers, our communities and our local […]