In 2008, our outreach to the various regions within Manitoba had women telling us very clearly that they want to spend their time productively. Our expectations for the outreach meetings was to identify issues of specific concern to women, to identify those that our union could assist with and to get advice on how to involve more women, particularly young and visible minority women, in union activities. Women in rural Manitoba told us that it is very difficult for them to leave their homes and families to travel into Winnipeg or Brandon for conferences, meetings or workshops. As such, the women’s conference planned for 2009 is being replaced by Women’s Issues workshops thus allowing more participation across the province. Commencing later this year, the workshops will likely be scheduled to coincide with general membership meetings in the various regions. The Women’s Issues workshops will be one to three hours dependent on the topic of discussion. Topics of discussion will include workshops being developed by the UFCW Canada Women’s Advisory Committee, for example: Communication; Time management; Stress management; Automobile maintenance; Assertiveness training. All were issues identified as concerns by our female members. Watch for dates and times of the workshops in UNION Magazine.
We have made an effort to ensure that each publication of the UNION magazine has articles specific to women or about women of UFCW. Thanks to all of you who have shared your stories so others can benefit from your experiences.
Heather Grant-Jury, UFCW Local 832 education director, continues to ensure the inclusion of equality issues throughout the shop steward, health and safety and other training programs offered by our UFCW Training Centre. Heather reports that more and more women are participating in shop steward training, in health and safety training and the other specialty programs. The English as an Additional language courses and the Grade 12 Grad program are also much appreciated and attended by our female membership. Heather welcomes any suggestions you have for improvements or additional course that would specifically benefit you as a UFCW female member. You can contact Heather via e-mail at grant-jury@ufcwtraining.mb.ca.
Mary Johnson continues to be our local 832 contact person for women’s issues. She also continues to be on the UFCW Canada Women’s Advisory Committee. That committee met twice in 2008 and will be meeting in 2009 to finalize the Women’s Issues workshops for roll-out across the country.
Our local 832 has developed an e-mail list for women specifically interested in women’s issues. Information on women’s issues from government, community, our national or international union is sent out to that e-mail list. Women are kept up-to-date on current events and campaigns. If you wish to be added to the list, please e-mail Mary at mary.johnson@ufcw832.com.
Women's Activities within Labour Councils/Federation
UFCW Local 832 currently has two representatives, Charlotte Cameron and Debbie Jones, on the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL) Women’s Committee. Debbie and Charlotte also often represent UFCW women at various events within the MFL and community. Information they share with Local 832 is included in our e-mail to those on the women’s issues mailing list. As well, articles are written for UNION magazine. Our union members are encouraged to participate in MFL events. UFCW local 832 was well represented at the MFL women’s conference held in 2008 at our training centre. Delegates were very pleased with the entire conference and felt it was well worth their “weekend” to attend.
At the national level, Nancy Quiring currently represents UFCW on the CLC Women’s Committee. Nancy shares reports from the meetings with the UFCW Canada women’s committee members, who in turn, share the information with their locals across Canada. Susan Hart-Kulbaba is currently on the Equity Committee that has been working to bring awareness to the federal government “inequality” budget and cuts to women’s programming and rights.
We continue to encourage women to become active in their local labour councils who centre their activities on making positive change in municipal government areas. For example, in Thompson, the Thompson and District Labour Council develops policies and campaigns to influence the city officials and the local school divisions to create labour friendly change in their city.
If anyone is interested in local labour council activities as a UFCW delegate, please contact Bea Bruske by e-mailing her at bea.bruske@ufcw832.com .
Women's Community/Political Action Activities
During 2008, UFCW Local 832 women were active in the federal election, working to ensure the election of the NDP candidates. Many volunteered in the evenings by phone and foot canvassing or took some vacation time to assist. Women benefit from having the NDP in Ottawa. Although we have not been able to form government federally, their opposition voice has resulted in a national healthcare program and other worker friendly legislation. The current federal minority Conservative/Tory government’s policies are not friendly to workers and certainly will continue to diminish women’s equality. The threat of a coalition forced the Conservatives to retreat. Although the Liberals were able to accept his “new” budget, that budget did not address the needs of women and working families. (Where is our national childcare program? Where, in that budget, are the jobs for women?) It is important that we stay vigilant in identifying the needs of women and their families and keep our federal MPs feet to the fire.
Challenges Currently Facing
Re-energizing and finding time to do the many things that need doing continues to be the biggest challenge facing us as a women’s committee. One could say we are successful because many of the women on the committee in the past have become much more involved in the union as stewards, health and safety captains, volunteer organizers, union representatives, relief union reps, negotiators, workshop facilitators, executive board members and/or community activists. Their time and energies are stretched to the max though so we extend our hand to those who are not currently stewards or health and safety captains. It is our hope that the regional workshops will bring information to women as well as encourage women to participate more.
Projects/Plans For Next 12 Months
- Encourage more women of UFCW to participate in our local’s women’s e-mail network/mail list.
- Continue to include articles in UNION Magazine on issues of specific importance to women and their families.
- Increase activities in communities and labour councils via the Local 832 women’s networking.
- Provide additional awareness of the impact of federal governments on women’s lives.
- Identify issues of specific concern to members of UFCW as they pertain to women’s issues by encouraging interactive use of the e-mail network.
Need Assistance With
Women participating in union activities.
- You do not have to be a steward or active in the union currently. If you are interested in women’s equality issues, the union is a safe environment for growth and bringing ideas forward.
- Young women are particularly encouraged as your experiences are very different from someone born in the ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s
- Women of Colour, visible minority women and aboriginal women are also underrepresented in our decision making bodies.
Anyone who is interested in our UFCW, Local 832 women’s activities and network, please e-mail Mary Johnson at mary.johnson@ufcw832.com. Even if you’ve expressed interest before, it is important you e-mail Mary to re-confirm your interest. You will be added to the e-mail list of information that is sent out to persons who have expressed interest in women’s issues specifically
