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The Prairie Regional Council opened Wednesday in Winnipeg at the Fort Garry Hotel. It is Unifor’s first large scale in-person meeting since the pandemic started.
The meeting opened with drumming from the Spirit Sands Singers and stirring welcoming remarks from Indigenous activist and Elder Leslie Spillett who talked about the importance of class consciousness and solidarity.
Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle delivered his report to delegates, reviewing the significant scope of work undertaken by Unifor members over the last 12 months in the three Prairie provinces.
McGarrigle highlighted the union’s fightback campaign against Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who oversaw some of the highest rates of COVID-19 deaths and still managed to enact the most anti-worker legislation in Canada.
“We knew Jason Kenney was in the pocket of powerful employers. But attacking health and safety during a pandemic was a new low, even for him,” McGarrigle told delegates.
McGarrigle also noted that Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe was hardly better, nor was Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister before he unceremoniously resigned.
“One thing is clear: the Prairie Premiers failed workers before, during, and after COVID-19. Jason Kenney, Scott Moe, and Brian Pallister showed how incompetent and ideological they truly are.”
Despite the political challenges facing Prairie workers, McGarrigle said Unifor locals were undaunted in their activism and still won important victories for workers, such as paid vaccination leave and federal-provincial child care agreements right across the region.
McGarrigle concluded by outlining the challenges that lay ahead and opportunities to build on the union’s success, including the urgent need to expand paid sick leave, fast-track anti-scab legislation, block VIA Rail privatization, elect progressive provincial governments, and re-commit the union to reconciliation objectives.
Following McGarrigle was Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew. “I like Unifor because you are always ready to fight,” said Kinew as he thanked Unifor members at Manitoba Hydro for pushing back against the poor management under Brian Pallister and now Heather Stefanson. He said Unifor has been a reliable and militant ally in the fight against the regressive agenda of the PC government, including Bill 16 and a dangerously weak response to the pandemic.
Kinew encouraged delegates to be optimistic and keep organizing and engaging members every day in the effort to build unionism and a better world. His remarks provided an introduction for a resolution to develop a mobilizing plan leading up to the next provincial election that includes outreach, communications, and training.
Read about Day 2.
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