Breaking Barriers Linking Struggles video, Labour Council video on the anti-racist and equity work within
the labour movement in greater Toronto.
the labour movement in greater Toronto.
AWOC - FOCUS ON POWER
The annual Aboriginal/Workers of Colour Conference held on September 6th focused on building power in very direct ways. Those of us who believe strongly that our City Council and School Boards should reflect the racial diversity of Toronto's population met some of the inspiring people who are running for office this October. Council candidates included Lekan Olawoye, Neethan Shan, Amarjeet Chhabra and Idil Burale. School board candidates Manna Wong, Ausma Malik, and Paulina Corpuz were there to share their passion for education. The keynote speaker was the new CLC President Hassan Yussuff, the first person of colour to lead our national movement. The afternoon featured the launch of the newly published "Leaders Guide to Strengthen Unions - Moving Beyond Diversity to Inclusion and Equity". It is intended to be a tool that every affiliate can use to create a much stronger equity agenda as part of their union culture and power structure. Publishing this guide marks an important milestone in equity work for labour – we hope every union uses it to become stronger! STRENGTHENING OUR UNIONS THROUGH EQUITY On September 6th, Labour Council released its latest contribution to the equity work in our movement. Entitled “A Leader’s Guide to Strengthen Unions: Moving Beyond Diversity… Towards Inclusion and Equity” the document is designed to be a tool for activists and leaders who want to build more powerful unions in greater Toronto, and across Canada. It is written by Jojo Geronimo, veteran labour educator former Executive Director of the Labour Education Centre. Click here to download
HERMAN STEWART
GETS BROMLEY AWARD Veteran labour
leader Herman Stewart is the recipient of this year’s Bromley Armstrong Award.
Originally from Jamaica, Herman got his first taste of union involvement when
he played a key role in organizing his workplace into the United
Steelworkers. In 1980 Herman was hired by the Garment Workers Union
(ILGWU) as an organizer and a year later he was promoted to Director of
Organizing. During this period Herman became involved in the Jamaican Canadian
Association (JCA) where he served in many capacities including President.
Over the years Herman has been a strong advocate on behalf of the Afro-Caribbean community in Ontario speaking out and lobbying governments on issues such as employment equity, human rights, police/community relations and immigration. In 1986 he created history when he became the first person of colour in Canada to be elected head of a union. In 1987 Herman’s work as a union leader was recognized with his election to the position of Vice-President of the Ontario Federation of Labour Executive Board. The Bromley L. Armstrong Award was established by the Labour Council to celebrate the life and achievements of Bromley Armstrong, a pioneer labour and human rights activist whose dedication contributed to the introduction of Canada's first Fair Accommodation Practices Act in 1954. Brother Stewart is the tenth recipient of the award. |
Blurred Lines - Have we lost our vision and voice?
It's time we re-connected our struggles. The progressive agenda is being attacked on all fronts: from Tim Hudak wanting to take away Workers Rights, to our fight to increase the Minimum wage, to the environment, to the struggle for Equity. We can fight back, make positive change, and have our voices heard in the upcoming elections. Download the flyer or register on line by filling out the form to the left. |
LABOUR COUNCIL VIDEOS Our new communications staff Esery Mondesir is a film-maker as well as union
organizer. Check out www.youtube.com/user/TYRLabourCouncil for these short videos:
Aboriginal scholar Hayden King explains the key issues raised by Idle No More- http://youtu.be/FC7OT91670E
Terri Monture speaks of her perspective as a labour and Aboriginal activist http://youtu.be/j4BMVU14NJM
Ruth Lor Malloy remembers the trip to challenge discrimination in Dresden in 1954 with Bromley Armstrong
http://youtu.be/WuMZw9JM5tA
"DANGEROUS" AGENTS OF CHANGE - ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH
Labour Council is joining many other organizations to recognize and celebrate the leadership of union and community
activists of Asian heritage. Labour Council investigates five Asian Canadian Agents of Change. They have risen to top leadership positions - and pose a threat to a low-wage economy! Check it out
organizer. Check out www.youtube.com/user/TYRLabourCouncil for these short videos:
Aboriginal scholar Hayden King explains the key issues raised by Idle No More- http://youtu.be/FC7OT91670E
Terri Monture speaks of her perspective as a labour and Aboriginal activist http://youtu.be/j4BMVU14NJM
Ruth Lor Malloy remembers the trip to challenge discrimination in Dresden in 1954 with Bromley Armstrong
http://youtu.be/WuMZw9JM5tA
"DANGEROUS" AGENTS OF CHANGE - ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH
Labour Council is joining many other organizations to recognize and celebrate the leadership of union and community
activists of Asian heritage. Labour Council investigates five Asian Canadian Agents of Change. They have risen to top leadership positions - and pose a threat to a low-wage economy! Check it out
SHARE STORY ON UPSHAW + BROMLEY AWARD Share Newspaper journalist Ron Fanfair wrote an excellent article for this week’s paper about Fred Upshaw, recipient of the 2013 Bromley Armstrong Award. Fred is the former
president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union who was the first African Canadian to lead a major Canadian labour union. Take a read http://sharenews.com/labour-rights-trailblazer-gets-armstrong-award/
AWOC MAY 4th Labour Council’s 11th annual Workers of Colour/Aboriginal Workers conference took place on Saturday May 4th. There was inspiring presentations on First Nations issues by Hayden King, union struggles by Jan Simpson, and the Foreign Temporary Worker fiasco by Vinay Sharma and Edgar Godoy. Also, there was a special presentation made to recognize the legacy of our dear sister Clementine Ng of UNITEHERE Local 75 who
recently passed away. For pictures of the day click pictures
president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union who was the first African Canadian to lead a major Canadian labour union. Take a read http://sharenews.com/labour-rights-trailblazer-gets-armstrong-award/
AWOC MAY 4th Labour Council’s 11th annual Workers of Colour/Aboriginal Workers conference took place on Saturday May 4th. There was inspiring presentations on First Nations issues by Hayden King, union struggles by Jan Simpson, and the Foreign Temporary Worker fiasco by Vinay Sharma and Edgar Godoy. Also, there was a special presentation made to recognize the legacy of our dear sister Clementine Ng of UNITEHERE Local 75 who
recently passed away. For pictures of the day click pictures
BROMLEY ARMSTRONG AWARD
On Friday May 4th, the Labour Council and its Equity Committee sponsored an award dinner to honour life-long activist Bromley Armstrong. The dinner Featured a video of past recipients of the Bromley Armstrong Award talking about Bromley’s legacy. The award has been bestowed annually since 2004 to a union member who has shown outstanding leadership on human rights issues. This year’s award was presented to Jojo Geronimo, labour educator, anti-racist activist, and for Executive Director of the Labour Education Centre. View picture gallery. AWOC Labour Council’s tenth annual Aboriginal Workers/Workers of Colour conference was held on Saturday May 5th, with the theme of “Advancing Equity in a time of Austerity”. Union members from a wide variety of sectors came together to hear keynote speaker MP Olivia Chow outline who the Harper government is rolling back decades of social gains under the cover of an invented fiscal crisis, while spending billions on jets, jails and dirty oil. Her speech was followed by four respondents, each describing austerity in their work and life. Nezrine Edwards, a CUPE 416 cleaner, talked about the campaign to defend city cleaners from privatization, and the recent victory of her union in bargaining the contracting in of 150 cleaning positions. Ibrahim Bozai of OPSEU described the Ontario government’s attempt to use the Drummond Report to rationalize the attack on provincial public employees and teachers. Chris Sutton of CUPE 416 talked about the devastating cuts to Educational Assistants and school support staff at the Toronto District School Board. And Terri Monture of the Canadian Media Guild shared the concerns about cuts to CBC and the attempt to erode first nations sovereignty on behalf of oil and mining interests. The 160 participants spent the day in workshops coming up with ideas of how to counter the Austerity Agenda at the federal, provincial and municipal level, and how to engage communities of colour in this crucial fight. The day ended with a heartfelt thanks from the leaders of the Montreal Labour Council who had attended, with the goal of learning how they might replicate this kind of equity work in greater Montreal. |
ARE WE THERE YET? When the
Danzig Street tragedy hit the city last summer, calls for a comprehensive approach to the issue of gun and youth violence in Toronto poured from everywhere. But a year later, much more needs to be done to give hope to racialized youth in the GTA. To read the rest of the article go here POLICE CONDUCT AND ACCOUNTABILITY Labour Council delegates heard from Gary Pieters, chair of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations at the September meeting. A statement on Police Conduct and Accountability was adopted in response to the tragic death of 18 year old Sammy Yatim. To read the complete statement click here. |