January 25, 2017
Local 2157 President Lise Comeau and
Vice President Karli Matthews sit to talk at
Keyano College for mental health awareness day.
Anti-racism, Equal Opportunities & Global Justice
Health and Safety Award
Do you know a member who has made a significant contribution in the area of health and safety in Alberta? If so, we would like to hear from you!
Closing date for nominations: December 31, 2016
National Aboriginal Day – June 21st
June 21st is National Aboriginal Day, a day to recognize the contribution, culture and struggles of our Aboriginal peoples. It was first enacted in 1996.
Just last year, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada reported details of the disturbing history of residential schools. For decades, up until the 1980s, Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their homes and sent away to boarding schools where physical and sexual abuse were common. Children were denied their language, culture and family.
The death rate of residential school students was often double, triple, or even quadruple the death rate among children in the population at large. Parents were often not told details of their child’s death, or even where their children were buried.
It is, without question, one of the most shameful government policies in Canadian history, and one with repercussions on the lives of our Aboriginal peoples for generations to come. Unemployment, alcoholism, substance abuse, depression and suicide rates among Aboriginal communities are far higher than the Canadian population at large. The roots of many of these tragedies can be traced to residential schools and the impact of our treatment of Aboriginal people.
It will take far more than one day a year to reverse three centuries of damaging mistreatment.
The challenges our Aboriginal brothers and sisters face are complex, deep seated, and difficult to solve.
CUPE Alberta is committed to playing the long game. We will continue to stand in solidarity, to listen and act, and to work in partnership with First Nations to address these issues in a meaningful way.
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Dear Local Executive and CUPE Members,
Re: Relief FUND for CUPE Alberta members
In light of the devastation caused by wild fires in the Fort McMurray area, CUPE Alberta is creating a Relief Fund to assist CUPE members in Alberta who are affected by this 2016 fire.
All monies collected will go directly to CUPE members, the funds will be split amongst CUPE Alberta members who have lost their homes or who will have to be relocated for an extended period of time.
We are asking locals to donate to the Relief Fund to assist our members in rebuilding their lives and homes, and restore hope for the future.
We are hoping to have all donations into the CUPE Alberta Office asap. This will enable us to distribute the funds to the affected CUPE members.
Please forward your donation to:
CUPE Alberta Treasurer
ATTN: Relief Fund – Fire
300 – 10235 124 Street
Edmonton AB T5N 1P9
In solidarity,
Marle Roberts
President, CUPE Alberta
April 28 – Day of Mourning
Every day, workers around the world are injured and killed while trying to earn a living. In Alberta, workplace deaths number in the hundreds per year.
On April 28th we pause to remember those injured and killed while working, and re-commit to improving conditions so further deaths will not occur.
The last year has sadly seen its share of workplace deaths and injuries. However, there is some good news. Alberta has joined other provinces in Canada in protecting agricultural workers under labour and health and safety laws. In the first three months of 2016, WCB Alberta has approved 159 applications for compensation from farmworkers – applications that would have been denied last year.
There is still much more to be done. Workplace deaths are preventable. Please keep working to make our jobs safer.
Click here to find out about April 28 events in your area.
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Make a pledge for parity!
March 8th is International Women’s Day. A day to reflect on our success in building equality for women, and a day to take stock on what issues are next to tackle.
We’ve won some important symbolic victories in the last year – we elected more women to Parliament, and more women to Alberta’s Legislature than ever before. Canada is proceeding with a much needed inquiry into the thousands of missing and murdered aboriginal women.
But there is still much progress to be made.
IWD was originally called “International Working Women’s Day” when it first happened in 1909, as it was called to remember a strike by members of the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. In that spirit, I want to look at the issues facing working women today.
Canada is still without a national child care plan, something that would make it easier for women to pursue a career and motherhood should they choose to. Child care lifts families out of poverty, as it allows mothers (and all parents) more options to support their families. According to the Globe and Mail, women in Canada make, on average, $8,000 less than men doing an equivalent job.
You can take a small action today – click here to ‘Make a Pledge for Parity’ and be sure to follow-up that pledge with action.
VOICE is back
The latest edition of VOICE – CUPE Alberta’s Newsletter is now available online.
CUPE Alberta Equality Award
In addition to being a work of art, inukshuk means “to act in the capacity of a human.”
CUPE Locals in Alberta are invited to submit nominations for the CUPE Alberta Equality award.
The Equality award recognizes CUPE members whose work on equality issues has made a difference.
Deadline for nominations is February 12, 2016. Click here for more details
CUPE Alberta Health & Safety Award
Nominate a member who has made a significant contribution to the area of health and safety in Alberta.