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
As a union dedicated to social justice, the USW supports equity-seeking groups in our union, our workplaces, and in society. In June, Steelworkers join with LGBTQ2SIA+ communities to celebrate Pride Month and will continue to do so in local Pride recognitions throughout Pride season.
Happy Pride Month to our 2SLGBTQ+ members! As your director, I am humbled by all of our accomplishments over the past year as we continue to break the barriers within the labour movement for 2SLGBTQ+ people everywhere. We will continue to bargain language into collective agreements to protect the rights of all our members. As […]
TORONTO – The Steelworkers Humanity Fund (SHF) is donating $35,000 to the Canadian Red Cross 2023 Alberta Fires Appeal to provide support in response to the current wildfires, as well as future fires that may occur during the Alberta wildfire season. After more than three weeks, wildfires in northern Alberta are still raging, with over […]