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LABOUR DAY 2019 What does Labour Day mean to you?

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The observance of Labour Day in Canada originated with a

massive demonstration mounted by the working class in downtown Toronto in 1872. Led by striking members of the Toronto Printers Union, supportive workers took

to the streets to protest low wages, harsh working conditions and long work weeks. One-tenth of the population of Toronto participated in a parade that wound its way

Stronger together: the past, present and future of the labour movement What does Labour Day mean to you?

For some people, this is back to school time; for others, it’s an unofficial end to summer; but for me, I reflect on the work of our members and the people we serve. I also reflect on the history of our labour movement – where we were, where we are today and what we want to do in the future.

Lately, it’s been a little too easy to vilify unionized workers. I think that’s a cheap and easy target. And it needs to stop.

The benefits that unions have negotiated didn’ t happen overnight but over decades. And we work to ensure that the benefits we have negotiated are shared with those who don’ t yet have a union: weekends; sick leave; disability insurance; domestic violence leave; improvements to minimum wage… all of these things (and so many more) come from years of negotiations and lobbying by unions of every stripe. All working people put their maximum effort into their job and that needs to be recognized and respected.

Today, all workplaces are changing. There a r e e ff i c i e n c y e ff o r t s , automation, downsizing,

through the city. The collective action eventually led to workers’ successful negotiation for a ninehour work day. The parade of 1872 evolved into an annual celebration

of workers’ rights and was adopted by communities across the country.

We asked these Saskatchewan union leaders to reflect on the meaning of Labour Day in our time.

Unions have a positive impact beyond the workplace

BARB CAPE PRESIDENT, SEIU-WEST and ‘ transformational change’ that affects everyone’s ability to bring home a pay cheque, support our families, or even simply to have meaning to our lives.

Change is inevitable, but it needs to be thoughtful.

Working people are not widgets; they are invested in their workplaces and loyal to their employers.

We need to remember that they are a vital resource that is being overlooked in many cases. There needs to be consultation with front line staff who are the experts in their area and can provide valuable insight into improvements.

Tr a d e u n i o n s m u s t embrace ne w forms of technology and new forms of worker organizations to create space for the gig economy and a changing demographic. As a union leader, I believe that there is a way to celebrate and acknowledge our historical work, while embracing a more culturally diverse and technologically advanced workforce.

The future of our province and our labour movement is in the hands of working people. We have an opportunity to join together, have a voice in our workplaces, lobby for improved safety legislation and to improve the minimum wage for both young workers and the under-employed. The principles of solidarity, understanding and being our brother’s and sister’s ke e p e r n e e d t o b e r e affirmed by all of us. These are core values of the labour movement, and the province of Saskatchewan.

I’m personally inviting you to join us in our efforts to improve the lives of working people and their families. Help lead the way to a more just and humane society that welcomes all people, champions dignity and respect, and allows everyone to have a voice on the job and in society.

We’re Stronger Together.

Happy Labour Day! Barb Cape is president, SEIU-West.

For many of us, Labour Day marks the end of summer – a time when kids prepare to return to school, or for one last weekend at the lake and we begin to get ready for the coming fall and winter seasons. It’s also an opportunity to share time with family and friends as we celebrate the one day each year that’s dedicated to those who work for a living.

Labour Day was first recognized in Canada in 1894 and has become an important way to celebrate the efforts and achievements of labour organizations and the rights of workers.

Many of the benefits first achieved by unions over the years now apply to nonunion workers as well, such as vacation pay, fair wages, protection from harassment and discrimination, parental leave, and workplace health and safety standards.

Researchers have found that unionized workers earn more per hour than non-unionized workers in every province and territory, and being in a union is especially important for women and younger workers.

However, unions don’t only benefit individual workers; they are also good for the local community.

Unions give working people a collective voice to push for improvements in areas that are important to them and their families. Social

BOB BYMOEN PRESIDENT, SGEU programs, environmental action and human rights are just some of the areas where unions have had a positive impact far beyond the workplace. Unionized workers also enjoy more job security and standard hours of work so they are able to contribute to their communities as hockey or soccer coaches, dance and music teachers, church and service club members and volunteers.

Unions also benefit the local economy because members spend their pay cheques at home. They support local businesses, from grocery and hardware stores to dentists, medical professionals, and home and appliance repair companies.

They have more disposable income to spend on local crafts and artisanal products, in local theatres and supporting community fundraising efforts. In turn, this allows towns and cities with union members to support a broader mix of services and businesses that benefit everyone in the community

by stimulating the economy, creating jobs, fostering local industry and attracting entrepreneurs.

I encourage you to take time this Labour Day to think about unions and what can be accomplished when people come together to work toward a common cause, and how those efforts benefit all of us collectively as a community and as individuals. We have much to be proud of as a labour movement, for raising the bar, not only for ourselves in the workplace, but for everyone in our communities. But we will not rest on those accomplishments because there is so much more we can do when it comes to issues surrounding social justice, economic security, equality and respect for everyone in our communities.

On behalf of SGEU and its members, I wish you all a happy Labour Day! Bob Bymoen is president, Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU)

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Labour Day: September 2, 2019

Stand Together for Safety!

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LABOUR DAY 2019 Paid vacation days? Sick leave?

Thank a union

BY CAROL T ODD

Labour Day is a time to celebrate the important contributions that all working people make to the economy, and it is also a time to acknowledge the role that unions have played in obtaining the many benefits that all workers currently enjoy.

For more than 150 years, unions have been striving to obtain benefits for working people, benefits that have spread to encompass all workers, not just union members. Joie Warnock, the western regional director of Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, lists examples such as the eighthour work day, paid vacation and minimum wage. “If you look at the rise of unions from the late 1800’s, through the last century, and now the first few decades of this century, there have been real impacts in

Joie Warnock, western regional director of Unifor.

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Then there’s a whole other level of benefits that unions have helped to create, when you look at public pensions, health care, public education, employment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance – all those make a positive difference in the lives of Canadian workers and we can thank unions for those things.

- J O I E WA R N O C K , W E S T E R N R E G I O NA L D I R E C T O R O F UNIFOR.

terms of the broader law and positive changes in labour standards, occupational health and safety, workers’ compensation, those kinds of workplace laws,” she said.

Those last should have special resonance here in Saskatchewan where they got their start.

Warnock says some of the benefits that got their start through union activism have increased over the years to include parental and compassionate leave, as well as anti-harassment and whistleblower protection laws. “Then there’s a whole other level of benefits that unions have helped to create, when you look at public pensions, health care, public education, employment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance – all those make a positive difference in the lives of Canadian workers and we can thank unions for those things,” she said. Broader yet are the overall societal benefits. “All those kinds of benefits are the results of the struggles of labour unions to make work better – our communities, our society better for all Canadians.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Winnipeg General Strike, in which workers rebelled against massive unemployment, poor wages and dire working conditions. One hundred years later, Warnock says the battle goes on.

“Folks back then were fighting to make improvements to workers’ lives and we’ve never stopped and we can’t stop,” she said. “And, so

The benefits that Canadian workers enjoy today, such as paid vacation days, minimum wage and workers’ compensation, were first achieved through union activism. P HOT O: GET T Y IMAGES

it’s important that people understand there is still a very strong role that labour plays in improving society for all workers, all families, all communities.”

While the labour movement continues to act on behalf of workers, Warnock is concerned that the rights all workers enjoy may now be under attack. “I think there is a real danger of backsliding on all these rights,” she said.

At the same time, there contin-

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ue to be efforts to move forward.

“There are always issues around having to fight to ensure that we are not only not rolling them back, but trying to make sure that we’re expanding public good benefits,” she said, citing issues such as pharmacare, which affect all Canadians. “It’s good to pay attention to what those struggles are and the issues that really matter to them and their families and their communities.”

Warnock urges all Canadians to ensure their concerns about preserving overall societal benefits like medicare and the many workplace protections all workers enjoy are addressed in the upcoming federal election campaign. “I think it is really important for all Canadian workers to be engaged especially around election time to think about the issues that matter to them,” she said. Good advice for everyone on any issue.

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HAPPY LABOUR DAY Whether it’s improving standards, defending workplace rights or championing public services,

UNIONS MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR EVERYONE.

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LABOUR DAY 2019 Saskatchewan Union of Nurses calls Code White

BY PAT REDIGER

The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) is calling for a “Code White” in response to the violence that nurses are facing every day at work.

“Violence in the healthcare sector is on the rise – both physical and verbal,” said SUN president Tracy Zambory. “The situation has been worsening for the past two decades – every day registered nurses are being sworn at, punched, kicked and scratched.”

She added that high patient populations mean workloads are on the rise and the quality of care is declining. As the registered nursing staffing shortage deepens and patient acuity increases, weak security protocols are failing to offer adequate protection.

Nurses now account for the thirdlargest number of violence-related, lost-time injuries in the province – more than police and security guards.

A recent survey of 1,297 SUN members documented the extent of the problem. More than two-thirds (68.5%) of nurses have experienced physical violence in their workplace and almost all (90.7%) have experienced verbal abuse. The rate of violence is highest in mental health and long-term care, where over 85 per cent reported experiencing violence.

Zambory said there are several reasons behind the escalating violence. “Registered nurse under-orshort staffing is a major factor driving the increasing incidences of violence in the healthcare sector,” she said. “Nurses are caring for more patients at a time and the patients often have higher, more complex care needs. Not only are people living longer, they are often living with multiple, concurrent chronic illnesses.

This is what registered nurses mean when we say patients are ‘sicker than ever before’.”

Working short-staffed leads to increased stress and burnout among nurses, high turnover rates, and increasing violence against nurses. It remains by far their most-cited issue for importance by Saskatchewan’s registered nurses.

“Short staffing also compromises patient care,” said Zambory. “More

Physical and verbal violence is on the increase in the healthcare sector, reports the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses. Nurses now account for the third-largest number of violence-related, lost-time injuries in the province – more than police and security guards. S U PPL I E D PHOT O

than four in five registered nurses know of a time when patients were at risk due to short staffing. Of those who are aware of risk due to shortstaffing, four in ten (41.0%) report the risk is frequent.”

Saskatchewan and Canada is in the grips of an addictions crisis including opioid and crystal meth use.

Patients coming into emergency room (ER) facilities who are high on drugs are often aggressive, agitated and violent. This has now become a regular challenge for many frontline registered nurses and healthcare staff who face a very real threat of physical and verbal abuse.

Uniting all community stakeholders around tackling this issue is something SUN and registered nurses have prioritized in recent months.

SUN recently released a four-part docuseries that brought together physicians, registered nurses, law enforcement, counsellors, teachers and families who have lost loved ones to addictions to break down stigma and change the public conversation about the crisis.

Zambory said that violence is a complex social problem that will require the implementation of prevention and response strategies at the point of care in facilities, along with strategies that work to address its societal root causes.

She suggested that funding be

targeted to enhance protections for healthcare workers through violence prevention infrastructure and programs, with joint health and safety committees, labour unions and community police included as essential partners. This must include enhanced security protocols and security personnel in facilities – especially in areas of care where staff are most at risk or most severely impacted by violence.

Other suggestions include establishing protocols to address and investigate workplace violence incidents when they do occur. These protocols include a comprehensive review of staffing needs to inform healthcare human resource planning to ensure the safety of both patients and staff; educating registered nurses and other frontline healthcare workers on the critical importance of reporting all instances of violence; and increased public awareness about the risks and dangers registered nurses face.

Although there is a recognized need to address this situation, Zambory said it is difficult to answer why the situation has progressed to this level. “It’s not that the desire to protect health workers from workplace violence doesn’t exist or hasn’t been taken seriously, it’s more so that over recent decades a culture of underreporting and normalization of vio-

Registered nurses On the Frontlines of

H E A LT H C A R E SUN promotes safe patient care by ensuring its members are always supported in their workplaces, so they can be a voice for their patients when they cannot speak for themselves.

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MAKING THE DIFFERENCE.CA/ADDICTIONS

tive to continuing this conversation in the coming months to help find a solution to this growing epidemic.

SUN has also been working to educate registered nurses about the importance of reporting violence, offering workshops, educational opportunities and providing members with a toolkit that will guide them through reporting and seeking help and supports should they ever experience violence.

At a national level, SUN is supporting the work of the CFNU which is calling on the federal government to take action in a number of ways – ranging from setting minimum national security training standards and establishing protocols to investigate workplace violence incidents when they do occur, to funding for the Canadian Institute for Health Information to collect and report on facility-level workplace violence-related data.

“This is a critical issue that is occurring on a daily basis throughout the system. Something needs to be done before a nurse is so severely hurt they lose their life. It’s time to protect and care for those who have dedicated their lives to caring for all of us,” said Zambory.

lence as part of the job has steadily grown to a point where many times employers, unions and governments have not been made aware of the extent of the problem. Now that violence is dramatically on the rise due to a variety of factors, it has become important to elevate this conversation to the public and government’s consciousness.”

SUN has been taking its own steps on this issue.

SUN partnered with nursing unions from across Canada and the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) to host a breakfast for Canada’s premiers to discuss violence in health Brought to you by hard care at the recent working women and men Council of the Federation meetfighting to win dignity, ings. This was an respect & rights on the job important opportunity to talk about the root 1515 Park St. causes and poRegina, SK. tential solutions (306) 569-9259 to the issue. SUN is pleased to say 201 2225 Hanselman Court that Premier Moe Saskatoon, SK. was very recep-

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LABOUR DAY 2019 Employers need to invest in young workers

BY ELIZABETH IRELAND

The country’s strong job numbers aren’t providing the full picture when it comes to the participation rate of young workers in the economy, according to analysis by Canada’s unions.

While unemployment rates continue to fall overall, many Canadians aged 15 to 29 are staying in school or giving up looking for work altogether, according to the Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) latest Labour Market Snapshot.

The quarterly analysis is based on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Surveys (April to June 2019).

“The headlines trumpeting a strong economy do not reflect the reality for young people,” says CLC president Hassan Yussuff. “Far too many are struggling to find decent work and that’s deeply worrying because of the direct economic impact it has on our communities.”

Hassan Yussuff, CLC president.

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In particular, the number of Canadians aged 25 to 29 who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) has remained high since the 2008-2009 recession. This age is when most Canadians have finished their formal education and should be able to find meaningful full-time work that matches their education and training.

“These trends underscore the need to invest in young Canadians by making sure that quality jobs await them once they decide to join the labour market,” says Yussuff.

Representing 3.3 million Canadian workers, the CLC is the largest labour organization in Canada and brings together 56 affiliate unions, provincial and territorial labour federations, and community-based labour councils.

Originally trained as a trailer mechanic, Yussuff immigrated to Canada from Guyana as a young man. He then worked his way up to heavy truck mechanic at General Motors before becoming a labour leader. Yussuff was re-elected for a second term as CLC president in May 2017 (terms are three years) and his work is based out of Ottawa.

During the second quarter of 2019, year-over-year the Canadian unemployment rate was down 0.4 percent to 5.5 percent. With regards to this positive rate decrease and an increase in full-time jobs across Canada, Yussuff believes that “it is good news, but it is not all good

news.” He finds the trend of a lower participation rate of young Canadians to be “troubling.”

Some of the issues at play include: the cost of education has gone up dramatically over the past 10 or 11 years, Canadian housing costs are prohibitive, and young adults living at home with their parents can put a strain on even the most good-natured family.

Meanwhile, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available. The CLC cautions that employers cannot rely on the tactic of flooding the Canadian labour market with temporary foreign workers in the long-term. There needs to be a pathway to citizenship for temporary foreign workers in Canada and young Canadians need to be trained in order to be qualified.

“Most importantly, employers need to offer their employees training to complement their existing education. Training boasts an employee’s confidence. The lack of investment in training is an untold story in Canada and it is not uniform across industries or provinces,” says Yussuff.

For example, the province of Quebec requires one per cent of payroll to be spent on employee training. Yussuff explains that workers move jobs less if they are provided with pensions and fulsome training opportunities.

The Canadian Labour Congress is concerned about underemployment of young Canadians. The union is advocating for increased investment in training programs. GET T Y IMAGES

“Without training opportunities, where do skilled employees come from then? It’s fundamental, one

per cent of payroll should be spent on training across Canada without debate.”

HOW DOES TRAINING IN CANADA STACK UP INTERNATIONALLY? Canada vs Denmark isn’t a World Cup soccer match, but it is a way to compare the latest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data for public spending on training as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

At 0.07 per cent, Canada is one of the countries with the lowest rates. The northern European country of Denmark has the highest training expenditure as a percentage of GDP at 0.52 percent.

The OECD is an intergovernmental economic organization with 36 member countries. Most OECD members are developed countries with a high-income economy and enjoy a high standard of living.

Sune Sandbeck is a senior economist with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) in Ottawa.

“Denmark supports mostly institutional training since employers contribute about a third to half of total expenditures through a dedicated tax. This is because

the state administers most of the vocational training programs as part of its active labour market policies,” says Sandbeck.

According to the CLC’s analysis, the training category includes vocational (institutional) training, workplace training, apprenticeship support and integrated training. Sandbeck points out that the Scandinavian model usually sees vocational training as a government responsibility.

It is also worth noting that the Canadian data mostly reflects federal spending on training programs, so the actual numbers for Canada, compared to other OECD members, are likely a bit higher.

“The measure of public training expenditure does not measure private money spent on training. In the case of Canada, however, increasing our commitment to match Denmark’s, at 0.5 to 0.6 percent of GDP, would be a significant nominal increase of several billion dollars.”

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LABOUR DAY 2019 Union shines the light on workers’ urgent issues

BY CAROL T ODD

The new president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) has hit the ground running and wants to change the lens through which we look at labour unions and shine the light on issues that affect all working people.

Lori Johb has had a busy first year as president of the umbrella organization that represents more than 100,000 Saskatchewan workers who are members of 37 national and international unions. She took over from long-time president Larry Hubich, who held the position for 16 years before retiring in 2018.

Among the first issues she has worked on is Saskatchewan’s crisis in workplace fatalities. Almost 50 years after this province launched the first comprehensive occupational health and safety legislation in 1972, a provincial strategy is set to be unveiled later this month. “Last year, 2018, was a very tragic year for workers in Saskatchewan: we lost 48 workers in workplace fatalities and there were many, many serious injuries. We need to consider a way to improve that,” Johb said. The SFL has been working with the government on the plan, and Johb says there is recognition of the seriousness of the issue. “The word we use at the Federation is ‘crisis’ because it is a crisis situation for workers in our province. So, we have been working closely together on a strategy and we expect the strategy to be rolled out in September, so that’s good news.”

It’s an issue close to Johb’s heart after years in the healthcare industry, where there have traditionally been a lot of injuries. Born and raised here in Saskatchewan, she began her career at the Leroy long-term care facility before moving on to Watson following the changes in health reform. It was there that she became active in her union. “And, so that’s when I think I became an activist in my union because there were so many things going on [in healthcare],” she said. After Watson, she moved on to the hospital in Humboldt and is currently on leave from her position there.

Johb says issues like occupational health and safety and workers’ compensation affect all workers, not only those in a union. “Benefits that unionized workers enjoy are also shared by all workers. There’s more to what we do than trying to get our members a pay increase,” she said. Another major issue is domestic violence, where the union’s efforts resulted in the ability for victims of domestic violence to receive paid leave from their jobs.

“We know that we have the highest rates of domestic violence of any place across the country,” she said.

Last spring, the government amended the Saskatchewan Employment Act to allow survivors of domestic or sexual violence five paid days of leave from work and five unpaid days. “We do believe strongly that domestic violence follows people to work and it affects their workplace. So having the ability to access paid leave was huge for us,” Johb said. The Saskatchewan Domestic Violence Death Review Report released in spring of 2018 by the Ministry of Justice reported there were 48 domestic homicides from 2005 to 2014, with nine related suicides.

There is still much to be done, however. Johb would like to see an expansion to the provincial Status of Women Office. “We need to have resources in place to

assist in new programming,” she said. And, she hopes the workplace safety strategy set to roll out soon will help change attitudes about that issue. “We need to really focus on what’s causing these serious injuries and fatalities,” she said.

The SFL believes that young workers and newcomers are especially at risk. “We know there is intimidation going on, when we talk with newcomers, new workers and young workers, so we need to make sure that people understand the importance of knowing their rights and that it’s not okay to be intimidated into doing something that is dangerous,” Johb said. She would like to see a public awareness campaign, similar to the one on seat belt safety, to be included in the strategy to get the message out.

Next on the SFL’s agenda is the ongoing issue of what Johb terms the “worst” minimum wage in Canada. “We’re going to keep working on that because we know it’s not anywhere near a living wage. People are telling us they are working full-time, sometimes for than one job, but still being unable to make ends meet.

So, there is a real crisis here,” Johb said. The minimum wage in Saskatchewan will rise to $11.32 an hour on Oct. 1, still putting it below every other province or territory; the next lowest is Prince Edward Island at $12.25 an hour.

Pharmacare is another issue Johb feels strongly about, citing reports of seniors or people with a mental health issue coming into the hospitals because they can’t afford their medication. “We believe that pharmacare is a huge part of Medicare and Saskatchewan is the birthplace, so we’re working hard with all the groups that are working toward pharmacare,” she said, adding that it should be part of the discussion during the upcoming federal election.

On this Labour Day, Johb asks everyone in the province to look at labour unions and the work they do through a different lens. “We work for everybody.

Unions are not just about bargaining and getting collective agreements,” she says.

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour is working to support victims of domestic violence. The SFL also wants to increase awareness of workers’ rights among newcomers and young people. SUP P LIED P HOT O

“Now that the work week is 40 hours, I’ll have so much more free time!”

In 1958, the Saskatchewan Civil Service Association (now SGEU) successfully bargained a maximum 40-hour work week for its members — it wasn’t until 1971 that this became Saskatchewan law.

This Labour Day, let’s honour the many ways that unions have improved our quality of life!

Lori Johb has had a busy first year as the new president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour.

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FREE BBQ Saskatoon & District Labour Council

Labour Day BBQ Monday, September 2, 2019 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

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LABOUR DAY 2019 CUPE responds to needs of Indigenous workers

BY PAT REDIGER

With the growing number of Indigenous people in the workforce, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has been examining ways to ensure their needs are being met.

“CUPE is dedicated to workers on a wide range of issues,” said Gloria Lepine, Diversity Vice-President for Indigenous workers. “We have examined certain legislation and workplace regulations, and how they all uniquely impact Indigenous workers.”

Leading this research is the National Aboriginal Council, which was established in 2005 to promote and defend the rights of Indigenous people in the union. It consists of elected Indigenous members from regions that have established their own Indigenous councils. The council’s composition reflects Indigenous traditions and governance to ensure gender parity, Elder advice, and consensus decision-making.

“It’s a place in the union for our members to share their traditions and cultures. It gives us a place for Indigenous people to discuss their place in the union. It’s a significant space of decolonization in our union,” she said.

The firsthand knowledge and lived experience of the issues facing Indigenous people from these councils provides CUPE with an insight on how best to support and show

solidarity to Indigenous people, and to be the basis of the union’s commitment to truth and reconciliation.

The council has led CUPE to offer support for families with murdered and missing girls, and to advocate for better and stronger services for Indigenous people (water, resources, school, healthcare, social services).

As an example of direct action, CUPE members participated in the REDress project at its 2017 national convention to call for justice and honour the lives of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Canada. CUPE delegates participated in the Sisters in Spirit Vigil in Ottawa which included an homage to the work of Métis artist Jaime Black, who created the REDress project.

“Many times people talk to us and tell us what they are going to do, rather than ask what Indigenous people need. We are working to change this,” said Gloria Lepine, CUPE Diversity Vice-President for Indigenous Workers.

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The outdoor art installation, which has been featured by numerous galleries, museums and universities across North America, offers a powerful message of remembrance and healing. At the vigil, CUPE members carried red dresses and wore red ribbons.

CUPE has also supported the members who have also been involved in healing camps, Amnesty International protests on large-scale resource extraction, and Indigenous protest marches.

Recently, CUPE has become concerned about the potential privatization of water services on Alberta reserves. “CUPE opposes privatization of water systems. We don’t want private water. We want public sector workers to care for public sector infrastructure including First Nations reserves,” said Lepine.

She added that CUPE has been advocating for representative workforce strategies and the union has experienced success in Saskatchewan, especially in the healthcare sector.

Representative workforce strategies are negotiated with the employer to set targets for hiring, training and retaining Indigenous workers with the goal of having greater diversity in the workplace.

“In Saskatchewan we have been able to double the number of Indigenous people working in the healthcare sector,” she said. “We have not had success in all other provinces,

Today, we honour all the men and women who work to enrich our province.

CUPE has joined in calling for justice for Canada’s missing and murdered Indigenous women. At its national convention in 2017, delegates participated in the Sisters in Spirit vigil held in Olympic Park. The vigil included an homage to the work of artist Jaime Black, who created the REDress Project.

Her art installation symbolizes the hundreds of Indigenous women and girls whose lives were stolen. P OST MEDIA FILE P HOT O /MICHELLE BERG

but we have had a lot of success in Saskatchewan and that includes agreements with the Métis Nation since many times they are the forgotten people. Métis people don’t have First Nations status so they are often overlooked. We work very hard to be inclusive to all three Indigenous groups: First Nations, Métis and Inuit.”

Lepine is looking forward to this fall when CUPE releases an Indigenous guide to all of its locals, representing more than 680,000 members. The guide will assist members to be more inclusive of Indigenous members and to be more proactive in moving reconciliation beyond words.

“We will continue to be a loud voice in calling on all governments to implement the 94 calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Report,” she said. “We are a union that has our own responsibilities towards recon-

ciliation and much of this is based on educating our members. We have outstanding training programs on working with Indigenous members including collective agreement language. We now have a guide to bargaining equality and equity language for Indigenous people and all of our equity-seeking groups.”

Lepine said it is crucial for Indigenous people to have a decision-making voice at all levels in the union.

She has noted that CUPE has worked hard to ensure that Indigenous people have important insights in all workplace issues and that their needs are heard.

“We don’t want people to stand and talk to us, but to stand beside us and walk with us. Many times people talk to us and tell us what they are going to do, rather than ask what Indigenous people need. We are working to change this.”