The month of May is Asian Heritage Month, honouring the lives and contributions of people of Asian origin here in Canada. This includes all those who have immigrated from East Asia, Southern Asia, Western, Central and Southeast Asia.
Asian and South Asian Canadians are proud members of the labour movement, including leaders and members within our own union. Millions of Asian Canadians have chosen Canada as their adopted home, building their lives here, including raising families and contributing to their communities, unions and growth of the country. Each year, thousands more choose Canada as a new home.
Asian Canadian workers have contributed to Canada – from building ships and railroads to front-line healthcare workers and far too many have been caught in the temporary work of caregiving, farming and factories, without a fair path to immigration.
Our union celebrates Asian and South Asian communities, diverse in cultures, traditions and languages, all across the diaspora. In recognizing the many contributions of Asian and South Asian Canadians, we must also acknowledge that Canada and its laws have not always been welcoming or kind to Asian and South Asian workers. Some examples include the Chinese head tax between 1885-1923, Japanese internment camps during World War II, a clash with police and the military in Vancouver when a ship arriving from India was denied entry to Canada and sent back to be persecuted by the British in India – known as the Komagata Maru incident. More recently, Islamophobia and COVID-19-related racism and hate crimes have had serious consequences for Asian and South Asian Canadians.
As a union, we can support the Asian and South Asian Canadian members by encouraging participation more fully in the labour and political movements, train and give space to activists.
As trade unionists, we can show solidarity by challenging systemic and organizational racism and discrimination, learning and relearning of how we can use tools like our collective agreements to fight for human rights and equity for workers, while also unlearning of stereotypes and negative portrayals.
Marty Warren USW National Director
Scott Lunny USW District 3 Director (Western Canada and the Territories)
Dominic Lemieux USW District 5 Director (Québec)
Myles Sullivan USW District 6 Director (Ontario and Atlantic Canada)
USW 2024 Labour Day statement Labour Day is a statutory holiday where we celebrate workers and labour movement victories that benefit all of us. Like most of the benefits we enjoy – and, let’s face it, sometimes take for granted – workers had to fight for it. It’s our local leaders and members on the […]
Tariffs on aluminum, steel and electric vehicle imports from China good for Canadian jobs
August 26, 2024| Media Releases
TORONTO – The United Steelworkers union (USW) is lauding an announcement by the federal government this morning to impose tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum and electric vehicles from China, in a move to reinforce domestic industry and stem the tide of unfair trade. “We are pleased to see the federal government taking a more […]
U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to double duties on Canadian softwood lumber is pure protectionism
August 17, 2024| Media Releases
The United Steelworkers union (USW) is calling out the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to double duties on Canadian softwood lumber. “The decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce to almost double the current duties and tariffs of Canadian Softwood Lumber products is nothing more than pure U.S. protectionism,” said Jeff Bromley, USW Wood Council […]