This year, CUPW is proud to celebrate the Pride season under the theme "Workers United Against Hate" proposed by the Canadian Labour Congress. As we face a shocking rise in anti-LGBTQ hate in Canada and around the world, this theme is more important than ever.
The first Pride marches were held in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago on June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. They were born out of the struggle for LGTBQ+ liberation and fight for equal rights.
Pride Month is mostly known around the world and in Canada as a celebration. There are parades, parties, rainbows, and glitter. But Pride, and the modern movement to gain equal rights, started with the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969, and despite some improvements in LGBTQ+ rights over the last 54 years, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments have become increasingly toxic and prevalent around the world in the last few years – and the backlash and attacks are growing.
Pride season is once again upon us! It’s a time of celebration and community, but it’s also a reminder of the continued struggle for acceptance and equality and that the work is simply not over.
CUPW applauds the Canadian government’s overdue passage of Bill C-4 to ban conversion therapy. The Bill became law December 8 and now makes the practice a crime. Conversion therapy has hurt far too many people and caused unnecessary trauma, and we hope this creates a path to healing for the LGBTQ+ community and their families.
June marks the beginning of Pride Season – a time of community, education, and of course, celebration. But the story of Pride is so much bigger than rainbows and parades. It’s important to remember that Pride started as a riot – a rebellion against the discrimination of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) people. And this community continues to be at the forefront of the civil rights and social movements today.
Pride events are a beautiful and complex union of celebration and resistance. Over the decades, Pride festivals and parades have done so much for visibility, community organizing, and bringing LGBTQ issues and achievements into the spotlight.
On May 17th, we join over 130 other countries worldwide in celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. We must remember and acknowledge the continued systemic injustice faced by the LGBTQ community. The theme for this year is Breaking the Silence. It was chosen as a reminder that for most of their lives, LGTBQ people have been made to feel ashamed, stigmatized and have had to hide their sexualities, gender identities or sex characteristics.
Pride month is here! While it is a celebration, Pride is also a political rally and a march to claim public space that cannot be taken for granted. On one hand we have seen progress over the past few decades since Pride marches began – the struggle gets results! On the other hand, violence and injustices persist and there is much for LGBTQ activists and allies yet to achieve.
This summer, postal workers are invited to participate in the many Pride events across the country to support their co-workers, friends, family, neighbours and communities. We're proud of our LGBTTQ Sisters and Brothers. CUPW has been visible and audible at Pride marches and festivals for years – let’s keep the tradition alive! What better way to show your pride than by sporting your very own CUPW Pride T-shirt! Order yours today!
Support Postal Banking - Download and Sign the Petition
Canada needs a postal bank. Thousands of rural towns and villages in our country do not have a bank, but many of them have a post office that could provide financial services. As well, nearly two million Canadians desperately need an alternative to payday lenders. A postal bank could be that alternative. Download and sign the petition urging the Government of Canada to instruct Canada Post to add postal banking, with a mandate for financial inclusion.
Tomorrow, August 20, your Negotiating Committee will return to the bargaining table to present new global offers for both postal bargaining units to Canada Post.
Unfortunately, our scheduled meetings for Friday, August 15th and Monday, August 18th, have been postponed. The Federal mediators will not be able to assist CUPW and CPC due to their current involvement in the Air Canada negotiations.
This September, CUPW joins its Malayali brothers and sisters with joy and pride to observe Onam celebrations in Canada. Onam is one of the most significant regional festivals celebrated in Kerala, the southernmost state of India.
After pressing the Employer to come back to the bargaining table early last week, we received a response from Canada Post CEO Doug Ettinger on Friday evening, just hours after we posted Bulletin 128, “CUPW is Waiting for Canada Post.” In his letter, Mr. Ettinger stuck to the lines we’ve heard from Canada Post for many months now.
A week ago, CUPW members spoke loudly and rejected what Canada Post called its “best and final” offers. The goal of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers remains negotiating ratifiable collective agreements which meet postal workers’ needs, help grow the current services provided by a public post office and to better serve Canadians with new services.