Secretary-Treasurer’s Message Kelly Tosato

Acknowledging oppression and working toward change

Change doesn’t come easy and sometimes it's scary. The pace of progress can feel like we take a step back for every two steps forward. But forward is the only option.

There was a time when children worked in Canadian factories; when it was legal to pay women less for the same work as men; when women couldn’t vote; when Indigenous people couldn’t vote. There was a time before now when many parts of society were very different. Even just six months ago, our lives were different. COVID-19 brought fear, uncertainty, and more changes to our lives than we thought possible.

But there are aspects of many people’s lives that haven’t changed enough for far too long.

Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Colour (you may see the acronym BIPOC on social media) have been oppressed for centuries. And generations of the people responsible for hateful acts have been protected by the powers that be; protected by wealth and privilege; protected by silence.

In the last couple of months, we’ve witnessed the Black Lives Matter movement – a revolution – take hold in the United States and around the world like never before. While the catalyst for the recent protests was a violent and heartbreaking video capturing the last eight minutes and 46 seconds of George Floyd’s life at the hands – the knee – of a white police officer, these protests are the culmination of generations of systemic violence and trauma.

Black Lives Matter. It’s that simple.

Hate is taught. That hate, unchecked and encouraged, persists and takes hold in the minds of those infected by it. That deep-rooted unfettered hate in the hands of those in power leads to the systems we have now: systems that enables violence, murder, oppression, and all kinds of inequities. And those systems are rigged to maintain and protect those in power. Things must change.

But I have hope. There are signs that this time may be different. The mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser – a Black woman – had Black Lives Matter painted down the street heading toward the White House and renamed part of that street as Black Lives Matter Plaza. Protests in Minneapolis led, finally, to the arrest of the officers who murdered George Floyd. Protests in other states and cities have led to other arrests and, in some, even the defunding or overhaul of the police.

And we must remember that Canada is no better than the U.S. when it comes to oppression and racism. June is Indigenous History Month. Our nation was built on land taken from others, but many Canadians know very little about the historical and ongoing oppression of Indigenous people. From the denial of status to Indigenous women, to the implementation of Residential Schools and the Sixties’ Scoop; to ongoing issues with having access to drinkable water, health care, and education; from a disproportionately high incarceration rate to tragically an even more disproportionately high rate of suicide. The Indigenous people in Canada continue to pay the price for colonization.

June is also Pride month. The Pride movement owes its origins to the Stonewall Riots in June 1969 following a police raid on a Manhattan gay bar called the Stonewall Inn. A Black transgender woman named Marsha P. Johnson is credited with starting the riot. It would take decades for legal changes to really happen in many countries – and the work continues today.

Change requires work. We must stay focused and keep working to dismantle the systems that continue to oppress. None of this is easy to think about, but without discomfort, there is no growth. We must remember that people live this reality every day, and if we don't acknowledge where we fail, we can’t do better.

We cannot let systemic racism, violence and oppression continue. Murder must be called out as murder. Racism must be called out as racism. Injustice must be called out as injustice.

I attended the Black Lives Matter rally in St. Catharines a few weeks ago. It was an inspiring day and I really tried to take the opportunity to learn things I can do every day to make change. I've started having conversations, even when it's difficult, with friends and family about the importance of the Black Lives Matter protests and the changes that need to happen. As a Union, we recognize that we too need a plan going forward to ensure we do our part to raise people up and continue taking specific actions to create positive change.

Social justice is a cornerstone of the labour movement. Your Union remains committed to fighting racism and discrimination in all its forms and working toward equity and human rights for all.

No justice, no peace.

In Solidarity, Kelly Tosato

treasurer@ufcw175.com