President’s Blog: A Look Back at September; a Look Forward to the Fall

September has been a busy month. We finalized the program of demands for the 2023-2024 round of bargaining for Urban and RSCM units, and members have already begun voting to ratify them. You should have, or will soon receive, the Perspective magazine which includes the program of demands. Local ratification meetings are being held across the country over the next month and a half, and I encourage all members to attend your meeting and vote.  The meeting schedule is on the CUPW Website and is continuously being updated This is your opportunity to shape the future of your job and our public postal service for the better.

On September 20, I attended the official opening of the Albert Jackson Processing Centre in Scarborough. Albert Jackson was a former child slave, who escaped to Canada through the Underground Railway, where he became our country’s first Black letter carrier. When his coworkers refused to train him, Jackson fought back, and, supported by a vibrant and determined Black community, kept his job where he delivered the mail for 36 years. CUPW’s National Human Rights Committee learned about Albert Jackson in 2013, and since then, we have shared his important story of struggle for dignity, respect, health and safety, and fairness in the workplace – things we continue to fight for every day. This facility offers Canada Post an opportunity to preserve Jackson’s legacy and the importance of equality and respect in the workplace. It was also wonderful to share the day CUPW members and with members of Albert Jackson’s family, two of which currently work at the post office.

Last week saw nationwide right-wing, anti-LGBTQ protests against the teaching of LGBTQ issues in schools under the guise of parental choice. These protesters were met by hundreds of counter-protesters, which included numerous Unions and community groups. Let me be clear: there is no place for hate, exclusion, and discrimination in our society. The misleading narratives of the extreme right seek to divide us and say that educating children about diversity, gender, and sexual orientation should not be done in the public classroom against the wishes of some parents.

As many of you know, CUPW has worked tirelessly for decades to be an inclusive union. We have national committees for women and human rights and policies that deal with harassment, discrimination, equality, persons with disabilities, racism, lesbian, gay and bisexual rights, and the rights of transgender workers – all pushing to create a more just and equitable society. That is the true outcome of which the extreme right is afraid, so they use cultural wedge issues to pit parent against parent, worker against worker, and neighbour against neighbour. It is only through education that we can increase our understanding and acceptance of one another. We must focus on what unites us, instead of what divides us. If not, they will not stop their attempts at division. And then you must ask yourself, who will be next?

This week is National Truth and Reconciliation week. This year, CUPW is highlighting calls to action that members can act on. Whether it’s with the union, in the workplace, or in your school, labour council, church, or other community organizations, we all have a part to play in implementing the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Many of the Calls to Action call on municipal, provincial, and federal governments to make sure the legal recourse is protected to redress historical wrongs. Talk to your municipal councillor, member of provincial parliament, or member of parliament, and remind them that Indigenous workers and allies expect the governments to enact these recommendations.  

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is offering free lunch and learn sessions to learn about the history of colonialism, ongoing systemic discrimination, and actions we can take towards reconciliation. You can register for these free sessions through here: https://nctr.ca/education/coming-soon-truth-and-reconciliation-week-2023/trw2023-gen/

The week culminates on Saturday, September 30 with National Truth and Reconciliation Day, as well as Orange Shirt Day. There are many ways to mark the day. Participate in an event, read the Truth and Reconciliation report, wear an orange shirt, support Indigenous businesses, and learn how to properly acknowledge the land you live on. 

Most of all, remember that reconciliation takes more than one day. It is our duty to continue the work of dismantling the legacy of colonialism and repair our relationship with Indigenous Peoples.

We are entering an exciting yet challenging chapter. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, starting with ratification meetings. I look forward to meeting more of you during your local meetings and on the workfloor.

We are 60,000 strong and together we are unstoppable.

Solidarity,

Jan