Human Rights

Updates on CUPE Manitoba’s Human Rights activities

April 10 Day of Pink

by

CUPE members and staff in Manitoba marked April 10, Day of Pink by wearing pink T-shirts with the slogan: “It isn’t BIG to make others feel small: an anti-bullying message from theIMG_0946 CUPE Manitoba Human Rights Committee”.

Brother Lorenzo Dufrane, a member of Local 998 and the Human Rights Committee and the National Pink Triangle Committee, organized an event at his workplace, Manitoba Hydro.

Posters were circulated encouraging people to wear pink on April 10, and a table was set up in the workplace with CUPE material, including the Speak Out: Stop Bullying pamphlets, the pink frisbees and the bandanas. As well, there were information brochures about the services provided by the Rainbow Resource Centre and a fundraising draw to support the work of the Centre.

Many Manitoba Hydro employees were wearing pink and stopped by the table as a show of solidarity with the anti-bullying message. This event was a great opportunity to highlight the work of CUPE in our efforts to combat bullying and to promote the rights of all to work and live in a society that is free from harassment and discrimination.

CUPE MANITOBA CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

by

WINNIPEG – The Canadian Union of Public Employees is joining with a variety of Manitoba community and grassroots organizations in celebrating International Women’s Day.

However, while celebrating the labour movement’s contributions to advancing the rights of women in Canada, the wage gap between men and women as well as the underfunding of services for women and families continues to affect thousands of Manitobans.

Last December CUPE Manitoba met with the Manitoba Minister Responsible for the Status of Women to present a brief on Pay Equity in the province. This brief highlighted the fact that while NDP governments in Manitoba have taken important steps over the years to try to deal with the problems of wage discrimination faced by women in the workplace, currently Manitoba does not have any type of proactive pay equity legislation.

“Although the percentage of women working in Manitoba is one of the highest in the country, the wage gap between men and women still persists” states Maureen Morrison, Equality Representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees, “Women working full-time for a full year in Manitoba earn only 72% of what men working full-time for a full year earn.”

“We are asking the Manitoba Government to implement pay equity legislation to cover the social services and child care sectors as a means of reducing the wage gap for our members and others working in these jobs” states Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba “the time to support women is now, and we cannot afford to continue underpaying these important and vital jobs.”

International Women’s Day events are scheduled throughout Friday, March 8th, including a rally beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Union Centre, 275 Broadway.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than a half-million members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents 27,000 members, including approximately 1,500 members working in the social services and child care sectors in communities throughout the province.

Click here to view the full CUPE Pay Equity Brief

For information, contact:
Maureen Morrison, CUPE Equality Representative at (204) 942-0343
David Jacks, CUPE Communications Representative at (204) 801-7339

International Women’s Week 2013

by

CUPE Manitoba would like to encourage all members to support and promote the following events commemorating International Women’s Week, March 3 – 8, 2013:

The Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba Inc.
2nd Annual High Tea fundraiser
March 3 at 3–5 pm
Fort Garry Hotel
Tickets $50 each and a table of eight is $350
Tickets available at McNally Robinson Bookstore in Grant Park, at pcwm@mymts.net or by calling PCWM at (204) 992-2751

FemRev, The Institute for Women’s and Gender Studies and both the
UMSU and UWSA Womyn’s Centres
Status Quo: The Unfinished Business of Feminism in Canada
March 4 at 7pm
Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall
University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Ave free screening of award winning documentary
A documentary by Karen Cho and the National Film Board of Canada
(and featuring some local faces from the 2011 PanCanadian Young Feminist Gathering that was held in Winnipeg)
This is a physically accessible venue. Free bus tickets. Free on-site childminding.
Contact femrev.collective@gmail.com by Sunday March 3rd to secure a childminding spot.

U of W Womyn’s Centre
International Women’s Week Festival support
Monday, March 4
Free Breast Casting
Film Screenings – My Large Breasts and I and My Small Breasts and I (1:30-4 women only, 4-5 men welcome, Womyn’s Centre)
Tuesday, March 5
Bake Sale (10-2, 2nd floor escalators)
Sexual Health Workshop with Anlina Sheng (2-3:30, LGBT Centre)
Wednesday, March 6 (Women’s Week Festival (10-3, Bulman Centre)
All day clothing swap, Shine-A-Light tent, Knitting corner, Galaxy print tutorial, Screen printing with Ecopia, Art exhibit, Deborah Schnitzer celebrates and teaches the art of journalism (11;:30-12:30), Make your own damn sandwich lunch table (12-1:30), Sarasvàti Productions’ monologues (12:30-1:20), Man Cave (1:30-2:30), Chandra Mayor performance of “Feminism Saved My Life” (1:30-2:30)
Thursday, March 7
Reusable Pad Making with Ecopia (2, Riddell Cafeteria)
Herstory: Art by Women in the University of Winnipeg Collection (4-6, Gallery 1C03)
Friday, March 8
Sign Making (2:30, Womyn’s Centre)

Sarasvàti Productions
Wild Women: International Women’s Week Cabaret of Monologues
March 5 at 10am – Hosted by University of Manitoba Womyn’s Centre
I am Supergirl Monologue
U of M, Room 224-AC in University Centre
March 6 at 12:30pm – Hosted by University of Winnipeg Womyn’s Centre
Selection of Monologues – Bullman Centre
March 6 at 3pm – Hosted by University of Manitoba Womyn’s Centre
The Chronicles of Heloise – My Choice
U of M, Room 224-AC in University Centre
March 7 at 12noon Free Sneak Peek of selected monologues
Portage Place Mall, Edmonton Court – Free Sneak Peek
March 8 at 12noon Free Sneak Peek of selected monologues
Gallery at Manitoba Hydro Place (360 Portage Avenue)
March 8 at 8pm Full Show (tickets $10)
Gallery at Manitoba Hydro Place (360 Portage Avenue)
Featuring the Men’s Banner Project with Anna-Celestrya Carr and Buffalo Gals Drumming Group
www.sarasvati.ca

Manitoba Federation of Labour, Winnipeg Labour Council and Canadian Labour Congress
International Women’s Day Pancake Breakfast
March 8 from 7:30-9am; Guest speakers at 8am
Union Centre Auditorium
Proceeds to the Women’s Memorial Fund
Tickets $10 (available at the Winnipeg Labour Council 504-275 Broadway or 204-942-0522)

Manitoba Status of Women
International Women’s Day Commemoration
March 8 at 11:45am-1pm
Rotunda Manitoba Legislative Building
Women in Manitoba: Leading Transformative Change
A light luncheon will be provided
RSVP by March 4th 945-6281; msw@gov.mb.ca

International Women’s Day March – Solidarity
March 8 Free events organized by grassroots organizations
Union Centre (504-275 Broadway)
5:15pm Doors Open
5:30pm Rally featuring Sarasvàti Productions
6pm March through downtown Winnipeg
7pm Celebrate with refreshments and a program hosted by Chrissy Troy, including speakers Chikadee Richard, Jo Redsky and Bilan Arte
facebook.com/events/398559496905040

Mama Cutsworth & West Central Women’s Resource Centre
XX Factor Women on the Wheels of Steel Dance Party
March 8; doors open at 8pm
Regal Beagle Pub (331 Smith Street)
Tickets $10
Funds raised will support the Drop In program at the West Central Women’s Resource Centre
www.wcwrc.ca
Mondragon
In The Name Of Ending Kitchen Slavery! IWD Pizza and beer night
March 8 Starts at 7:30 and goes until…well, we run out of Pizza!
Women identified folks get cheap beer and pizza as part of our feminist happy hour(s)
Bring your talent open mic – off limits to cis-gendered men (we all know you talk enough)

MAWA (Mentoring Artists for Women’s Art) in partnership with Manitoba Craft Council
CRAFTSTRAVAGANZA
AMega-Workshop in Craft Practices from around the World
Saturday, March 9 from noon-4 pm
Free! All ages and genders welcome! Materials and child minding provided.
Eritrean snacks will be served.
At our much-anticipated 5th Annual IWD crafting event, four master craftswomen will be on hand. Come and go! Enjoy good food, good company and good crafting!
http://mawa.ca

CUPE Manitoba Aboriginal Council and Common Causes: Idle No More

by

IMG_0822The CUPE Manitoba Aboriginal Council was proud to be invited to speak at the Idle No More #J28 demonstration and round dance at the Manitoba Legislature on January 28, 2013.

CUPE MB Aboriginal Council co-chair Sister Shirley Langan gave a strong message that movements must join together in Common Causes to fight back against the Harper Government’s politics of division.

“We know the hardships our working people face in the workplace, the discrimination that many aboriginal workers put up with day-by-day: before, during, and after work.” said Langan to the nearly 1,000 participants “This discrimination takes many faces: racism, wage differences, the way we are treated by our employer, and access to education.”

Sister Langan highlighted the importance of Common Causes as an assembly of social movements dedicated to defending democracy, the environment and human rights in the face of an all out assault by the Harper government.

“This government is practicing a cynical and divisive kind of politics where they set aboriginal peoples and non-aboriginal peoples against each other, just as they pit non-union workers against unionized workers.”

For more information on Common Causes, visit www.commoncauses.ca

CUPE Manitoba supports walk for shelters

by

CUPE’s Respect Campaign is honoured to once again support Steve Braun’s Walk for the Shelters as he walks from Winkler to Winnipeg to raise money for two women’s shelters, drawing attention to the fact that women’s shelters across Manitoba lack the funding necessary to provide adequate services to victims of domestic violence.

On September 28th at 8:30 am, Steve Braun will be completing his 150 kilometre walk.  “I’m proud to once again walk alongside Steve in his quest to make people aware of just how under-funded our women’s shelters really are,” said Sheree Capar, CUPE National Representative and Respect Campaign organizer, “these shelters need adequate resources to provide women and children who are victims of domestic violence a safe alternative.”

CUPE Manitoba represents social services workers in women’s shelters across Manitoba.  The goal of the Respect Campaign is to raise the profile of what CUPE members contribute to the people in their care, and for their communities.

“Shelters must receive adequate funding from the provincial government, and it’s clear that action must be taken now” said Capar.

Media and members of the public are welcome to join Steve Braun as he completes his walk.

Gathering and refreshments at 8:30 am at the Union Centre, 275 Broadway, Winnipeg.  Walk with Steve Braun to the Manitoba Legislature at 9:00 am.

For more information about the Walk for the Shelters or to make a donation, please visit the Walk for the Shelters website:  www.walkfortheshelters.com