The trade union movement was built by the struggles of working people -- including Indigenous and racialized workers.
Unifor advocates for these workers, and encourages their full participation in union life through local union committees, regional council committees and the Aboriginal and Racialized Workers' Caucus. Unifor also holds national and regional Aboriginal and Racialized Workers conferences.
For more information on this work send an email to: humanrights@unifor.org
Orange Shirt Day
Locals are encouraged to host events or to join community events marking September 30. Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity to unite with First Nations, governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope.
Unifor recognizes that to move toward recognition and reconciliation, Indigenous children must know that they are loved and valued. Download this poster (PDF) and share the message below to spread the message of support.
October 4. National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
On October 4th, Unifor asks it members and allies to stand in solidarity with Indigenous families and communities to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls whose lives have been cut short by violence.
Unifor encourages every person in Canada to support the awareness-raising activities of the Native Women’s Association of Canada on October 4 by creating and sharing messages of support. Once the messages are shared online, it is asked that the messages be combined on a display wall and a moment of silence held to honour the lives lost and those still living with the pain.
Download and print the template at: nwac.ca/national-inquiry-mmiwg/honouring-mmiwg-families. Share the completed messages of support using #MMIWG and #Unifor.
Locals can display their commitment to challenging the systemic violence that continues to target Indigenous women and girls by printing the, “Justice. Awareness. Respect.” poster and shareable below.
National Aboriginal Day
Unifor is committed to challenging colonialism and working towards reconciliation. On this, National Aboriginal Day, Unifor calls on the federal government to take real, measurable actions towards reconciling our past with our future. Supportive words alone are inadequate. The federal government must immediately provide equal funding for on-reserve child welfare systems and end the discrimination against Indigenous children. Read the full statement.
Unifor AWOC Committee Representatives
British Columbia Region: Hopeton Hague (Local 1997), Jessie Rana (Local 111), Margaret Olal (Local 3000)
Prairie Region: Dean Carvery (Local 773), Don Wren (Local 1-S)
Ontario Region: Shinade Allder (Local 6005), Shereta Bowers (Local 1106), Anna Grizans (Local 229)
Quebec Region: Mohammed Karim Mazouz (Local 98), Lionel Ngoket (Local 175-C), Marie-France Fleurantin (Local 62)
Atlantic Region: Dave Ladoucer (Local 1), Christina Ashe (Local 4606), Ayamba Ramba (Local 2215)
Resources
Unifor is committed to representing all of our members and creating safer and fairer workplaces for AWOC union members.
Unifor Policy on Racial Justice
Black History Month: Unifor members speak on activism Week 1
Black History Month: Unifor members speak on activism Week 2
Black History Month: Unifor members speak on activism Week 3
Black History Month: Unifor members speak on activism Week 4
Asian and South Asian Heritage Month
Protecting Indigenous Health and Supporting Healthy Indigenous Communities
For more information, contact humanrights@unifor.org