Use this Lobby guide to help you prepare to meet provincial, federal or municipal politicans to advocate for a tougher resolution on our campaign to Stop the Killing, Enforce the Law.
Help us build a movement for politicians to change the rules so that we can end workplace deaths and injuries.
What is lobbying?
Lobbying is about talking to politicians, the people who are supposed to represent our interests at the municipal, provincial and federal levels of government.
Lobbying can include phone calls, letter-writing campaigns, emails, face-to-face conversations and presentations to councils or hearings.
Steelworkers organize lobbying campaigns to inuence politicians to support workers’ issues.
Why are we lobbying?
At the local level, we are seeking the support of municipal politicians for a resolution that reinforces what we are seeking from provincial governments.
Municipal support is a building block to establish public support to convince attorneys-general to direct prosecutors and police to enforce the Westray Law and to provide the resources for mandatory training for police and health and safety regulators to know how Westray applies.
We also need Steelworkers to talk to their provincial representatives: Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Members of the House of Assembly (MHAs) or Members of the National Assembly (MNAs).
Every activist has one of these representatives who are usually eager to meet with their constituents/voters. It doesn’t matter what their political party is – we need to nd out their position on our campaign.
What are we asking for?
At the municipal level, we want support for the resolution.
At the provincial level, we are asking every provincial politician: Will you support mandatory training to enforce the Westray Law? If not, why not?
Action steps to lobbying
• Call to arrange a meeting in the local constituency of ce, or in the legislature if your riding is in a capital city.
• Plan to go with at least one other USW member, but no more than three. • When you arrive, introduce yourselves and who you represent.
• Explain the Stop the Killing campaign, using the talking points enclosed, along with the essential goal of the campaign as laid out in the municipal resolution.
• Meetings with provincial politicians can proceed whether or not you have succeeded in getting the Stop the Killing resolution passed by the municipal council in your city or town.
• Appropriate dress for meetings with politicians is business casual.
• The bottom line at this meeting is to nd out whether the politician supports the campaign. If not, why not?
• If they are not willing to commit, ask what further information they would need and promise to provide it to them.
• If you provide them with additional information, wait a couple of weeks and ask to meet again with the same question: do you support this campaign to enforce the law?
• After the first meeting (and if you don’t plan to return), fill out the feedback form in the kit and return it to your District Health and Safety Co-ordinator.
Talking points: What to say to politicians
• Introduce yourselves
o Say who you are, where you live and work and that you are a constituent – not a paid lobbyist.
• Provide context
o About 1,000 people are killed on the job every year in Canada.
o These deaths are horri c. Many are preventable. o Workplace killing is a crime and must be treated as one.
o We have buried too many workers – and still, those responsible get away with little more than nes.
o Help us: Stop the Killing, Enforce the Law
• If time permits play a video or two
o usw.ca/videos-and-social-media-images
• Wait for response
o Note the politician’s reaction.
• Share a personal connection to the issue
o Say why you are motivated to be an activist on this issue, how it has affected you personally, or someone you know.
• Present the resolution
• Make the ask
o Will you endorse the resolution to enforce the Westray amendments to Canada’s Criminal Code?
o Will you support mandatory training to enforce the Westray Law?
o Help us enforce the law so we can end the thousands of preventable deaths and even more injuries of workers on the job.
• Keep track of the response
o Take notes of what the politician agrees to do.
• Leave materials behind
o the Stop the Killing flyer
o the resolution o the collection of quotes – What politicians are saying
o the Corporate Criminal Liability document
• Follow up
Corporate Criminal Liability 2004-2024 A review of legal cases since the enactment of the After your meeting, thank the politician for meeting with you and ask them if they have any questions or if they have done what they agreed to do. Stay in touch!
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