Unifor is committed to social justice in Canada and around the world
Unifor is dedicated to tackling the social and economic conditions that contribute to injustice and inequality to improve the lives of workers, families and other marginalized communities in Canada and around the world. One way we fulfill this commitment is through the Unifor Social Justice Fund.
The Unifor Social Justice Fund works in solidarity promoting, collaborating and supporting national and international NGO’s, community organizations, advocacy groups and trade unions in their efforts to strengthen democracy, promote equitable development, provide humanitarian assistance, reduce economic insecurity and support human rights.
For more information about the Social Justice Fund, please contact @email
ABOUT THE SJF
The Unifor Social Justice Fund (SJF) was established with the formation of Unifor in 2013, through the merger of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) Social Justice Fund and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) Humanity Fund.
The SJF is a registered charity that is governed by our Board of Directors (which includes officers of the union as well as prominent Canadians). Funds are negotiated by our members during collective bargaining with employers, calculated either on a cents-per-hour-per-worker basis, or as a lump sum. In this way, workers signify that social justice is a key priority and that by collectively working together, unions, employers and civil society groups, can make impactful and meaningful positive change to build a better world.
Over the past decade, the Unifor Social Justice Fund has supported over 290 international projects in over 60 countries, including across Canada, supporting programs and initiatives around protecting human and workers’ rights, supporting gender equity and women’s rights, promoting water justice, supporting access to education, improving health care services, fostering community development, providing emergency aid and disaster relief, and much more. We also help support organizations and community group through donations, including annual donations made to food banks and women’s shelters across Canada.
HOW TO APPLY
Please note that, in an effort to strengthen our ability and capacity towards making positive impact and social change on key issue areas in communities across Canada and around the world, we are making some changes to how projects supported by the Unifor Social Justice Fund will be selected. As a result, we will not be holding our usual bi-annual open calls for project proposals in 2025.
Organizations may continue to submit donation requests to @email.
Due to the high volume of requests received, we are, unfortunately, unable to respond positively to each one. Please note that the SJF does not sponsor organizational events.
ANNUAL REPORTS
Download a copy of our annual reports and learn more about the projects and initiatives that the Unifor Social Justice Fund supports each year.
SJF PROJECTS
Below are just a handful of examples of national and international projects funded by the Unifor Social Justice Fund and some of the impacts they have made on people and communities:
Aboriginal young women taking charge to shape their community
Democratic Republic of Congo: Redefining gender roles for women, building opportunities
Nepal: Picking up after the devastating earthquake
Bangladesh: Working with Rana Plaza survivors
Bangladesh: Medical services and health and safety training for shipbreaking workers
