Share
Unifor Women’s Director Tracey Ramsey was elected President of the UNI Americas women’s committee during the 7th UNI Americas Women’s Regional Conference held in La Falda, Argentina, which drew over 180 women union leaders from more than 17 countries.
Unifor National President Lana Payne said of the union's participation, “Issues affecting women are shared beyond borders. Spaces like the UNI Americas Women’s Conference give workers’ representatives the ability to plan a coordinated response to a coordinated erosion of our rights.”
The meeting brought together women leaders from across the Americas to discuss strategies for advancing women's rights and addressing the challenges faced by women in the workforce. During the conference the Strategic Priorities for 2024-2028 were mapped out and adopted which include the following commitments:
1. Maintain the commitment to increase women's participation and to achieve and maintain the goal of 40% gender representation in all UNI structures and activities, with the aim of reaching parity in the near future.
2. Continue to campaign for the ratification of ILO Convention 190 and Recommendation 206 and their implementation by affiliates in collective bargaining agreements.
3. Continue to promote and support the expansion of its mentoring program so that women, especially young women, can continue to acquire the skills necessary to assume leadership positions in their unions.
4. Continue to campaign for an end to the discriminatory causes of the gender pay gap and the gender pension gap, and will emphasize the need for organizing and collective bargaining to eliminate them.
5. Promote the organizing of more women in unions so that unions can be agents of social change, organizing campaigns must include the gender perspective, where women and diversities are represented.
The conference was packed with informative sessions, panels, emotional stories, and inspiring speeches that highlighted the importance of solidarity and collective action.
In her remarks following her election, Ramsey spoke to the priorities of the committee and the work ahead, saying, “The stakes are too high for us to aim low.
But let me remind each other of our greatest strength: our collective power. Our sisterhood. When women come together, we are unstoppable.”
The Women’s Conference was followed by the 6th UNI Americas Regional Conference attended by 600 delegates where the theme Solidarity in Action, Collective Hope guided the two days of discussion and debate.
Unifor Assistant to the National Officers Kelly-Anne Orr also attended the conference, speaking on a panel about health care workers globally and continuing her work as UNI Care Vice President by advocating for Health Care Workers in Unifor.
“Health care workers, who are overwhelmingly women, face discrimination and increased violence on the job. We’re here to talk about shared strategies to improve healthcare access and work,” said Orr of the meetings.
Ramsey gave a report on the Women’s Conference and moderated a panel “Equity for All”. This panel was the first of its kind at UNI events and brought together the voices of women, 2SLGBTQIA+, racialized and young workers to discuss the way unions can promote inclusive policies, defend rights and encourage the participation of marginalized groups.
Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union, praised the regional efforts of union women while highlighting persistent workplace injustices. “Many working women face harassment and humiliation,” Hoffman said. “This is why the unionization efforts by women in UNI are so vital – to improve our rights and working conditions. For UNI, women’s issues are not a side topic – they are central to our mission.”
