CUPE MB Condemns Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s Attack on Trans and Gender-Diverse Youth

CUPE Manitoba joins CUPE National in strongly condemning the recent measures introduced by Premier Smith of Alberta regarding gender policies for children and youth.

CUPE Manitoba Executive Board representative for 2SLGBTQIA+ members Daniel Richards says, “This is a direct attack on the 2SLGBTQIA+ and trans and gender-diverse community rooted in hate, bigotry, division, and distraction.”

“These oppressive measures clearly contradict expert guidance and evidence. The policy is a direct violation of the constitutional rights of Alberta youth. These policies will lead to serious personal suffering and damage for affected young people,” says Richards.

CUPE National’s statement notes, “These policies will rob teenagers in Alberta of information they need to make choices about their health, and the freedom to be their authentic selves at school.”

“Premier Smith must understand that she does not get to pick and choose what human rights to respect and what rights to and trample on,” says Richards.

CUPE Manitoba President Gina Mckay says “Canada’s labour movement will always stand united with marginalized people under attack, and this is no exception. Premier Smith must stop playing politics with the marginalized youth of Alberta and do the right thing and rescind these extreme measures.”

In Winnipeg today, February 05, there is a Rally for Trans Youth at the Legislative Building at 6:20 PM in protest of Alberta’s reactionary and bigoted policy plans. CUPE Manitoba encourages attendance at this event.

For more background and information, see CUPE’s Frequently Asked Questions sheet:
“RESIST ATTACKS THAT DIVIDE US: CUPE stands with trans people”

CUPE Manitoba condemns Sask Premier’s use of Notwithstanding Clause to override Human Rights of students

CUPE Manitoba President Gina McKay is joining labour leaders from across Canada today outside the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina to condemn Premier Scott Moe’s attempt to override the human rights of students by using the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

On September 29, an injunction was granted temporarily blocking legislation in Saskatchewan that would require teachers to disclose to parents if students were using different pronouns. In response, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced that he would be reopening the legislature on October 10 to pass the homophobic legislation through use of the notwithstanding clause of the Charter.

“Premier Moe is attempting to trample the Charter rights of children for partisan reasons that are based in ignorance and homophobia,” said McKay. “This has nothing to do with ‘protecting children’; in reality, it’s about targeting vulnerable people and making them less safe.”

“In Ontario, we saw the Conservative Ford government threaten use of the notwithstanding clause against striking education support workers. And now we have Premier Moe using it to try to override the rights of Queer, Trans, Non-Binary, and Two Spirit students” said McKay.

According to Daniel Richards, CUPE Manitoba’s 2SLGBTQI+ Diversity VP, “Premier Moe must understand that he does not get to pick and choose what human rights to respect and what to override and trample. Human Rights are not optional, they are universal and inalienable, and Canada’s labour movement will always stand united with marginalized people under attack, and this is no exception.”

“Regardless of what province or territory, conservative leaders like Moe must understand that the rights of Trans people are not up for debate,” said McKay. “Good people will never sit idly by while the rights of vulnerable people are under attack.”

At the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) Convention in May, delegates unanimously passed an emergency resolution calling on Unions to condemn hate across Canada. CUPE Manitoba has signed on to the action team to defend the rights of 2SLGBTQI+ workers and communities and will actively condemn the rising hate in all communities where CUPE members work and live.

To learn more about the ways that Unions and communities are working to condemn hate, click on the following links below:

Both Gina McKay and Daniel Richards are taking on active roles in Manitoba, alongside numerous 2SLGBTQI+ activists from CUPE and the labour movement, and encourage Union members to join the movement.

To learn more about the ways that you can show your support for 2SLGBTQI+ rights, visit: https://canadianlabour.ca/campaigns/pride-action-team/

-30-

For Information, contact Andrew Loewen, CUPE Manitoba: 204.259.0323 / aloewen@cupe.ca

CUPE Manitoba Recognizes National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30th is the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation. CUPE Manitoba is committed to support reconciliation and justice for all Indigenous Peoples. It is also the tenth Orange Shirt Day, a chance to honour the memories of the Indigenous children whose lives were lost in the residential school system, and recognize the strength of the survivors and their families.

CUPE Manitoba is committed to decolonizing through leadership. Today, our members are honoured to join people throughout this province and our country on this day of reflection and learning. And we are committed to working year-round in pursuit of meaningful, lasting reconciliation.

Action is needed to honour the children who didn’t make it home. Click below to learn how to build meaningful ReconciliACTION into your Local:

https://cupe.ca/event/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation

#OrangeShirtDay #EveryChildMatters #NationalTRCDay

If you are a residential school survivor or family member and require emotional support, there is a 24-hour Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419.

Happy Labour Day!

A Labour Day greeting, from President, Gina McKay:

Sisters, Brothers, Friends,

On behalf of CUPE Manitoba, I want to wish all 37,000 CUPE members in Manitoba a Happy Labour Day!

Labour Day holds an important significance in our country and in our communities, from coast to coast to coast.

In Manitoba, it is a day when we recognize the tireless efforts and commitments of workers and their families, and celebrate the important roles each and every one of us plays in building safer, stronger public services in our province.

This year more than ever, is a year to come together to build Union power through solidarity & political action in Manitoba.

As workers, we have seen our wages, jobs, livelihoods, and services cut and limited for over 7 long years under the PCs.

Ongoing cuts and ongoing underfunding in all of our work – healthcare, social services, education, child care, long term care, municipal services, libraries, public utilities, and family emergency services.

I’m reminded that the important work we are doing in Manitoba keeps our communities supported – and we’ve done this work through some of the most difficult times in our working history.

The work each of you are doing stitches together a strong net for Manitobans, and this Labour Day, we recognize and thank you for this work!

And now, let’s also renew our solidarity and build Union power in our province to fight for better wages and benefits, pensions for all members, improved working conditions, safer and more inclusive spaces, and stronger public services.

Let’s come together to build this movement, and demand commitments for CUPE members in Manitoba.

We’ve ignited this spark at CUPE Manitoba, and the time is now to build this movement together. Our province works because we do.

Have a restful and inspiring Labour Day!

In solidarity,

Gina McKay

President
CUPE Manitoba

Joint CUPE Statement on searching the Brady Road and Prairie Green landfill sites

On July 13, CUPE 500, representing municipal staff at the Brady Road Resource Management Facility, including the landfill and 4R Winnipeg Depot, provided a letter of support to the organizers and families who are calling for a search for MMIWG2S at the site.

In our July 13 message we expressed that we are deeply concerned with the City and Province’s inability to provide support and closure for families of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI* members of the community.

CUPE believes that the Brady site should be thoroughly searched, and we are willing to work with the City and other authorities to provide support and expertise to any organization conducting a search.

We have been and are willing to work with the City on any use or redeployment of current staff at the Brady site for the duration of any search. Any search conducted at the Brady site should be conducted by professionals in the field of searching for missing persons, and searchers must be provided appropriate PPE and training, as outlined in the feasibility study.

Premier Stefanson’s remarks that safety concerns prohibit a search are false: there is no reason this cannot be done.

CUPE supports the right for demonstrators to peacefully protest at the site, and we urge the City to ensure that no CUPE member is asked to intervene in any demonstrations.

CUPE 500 is committed to work with the City to develop a plan to ensure future use of the Brady site accommodates any searches, should they be necessary. This includes greater public control and oversight over how solid waste is collected and deposited (currently garbage collection in Winnipeg is done by private companies), a grid system for deposits, better monitoring of the fleet, and the development of an action plan for the future.

CUPE believes that action is more important than words, and we expect to be at the table where we can offer our expertise at the site, as well as contribute to future plans to ensure searches can be done expediently.

We thank the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the families of MMIWG2S for receiving our correspondence and acknowledging our support at the July 17 press conference that highlighted the feasibility of the search.

As Canada’s largest union, representing over 715,000 workers across the country including more than 37,000 throughout Manitoba, CUPE stands with the AMC and families of MMIWG2S and supports calls to have the Prairie Green Landfill and the Brady site searched immediately.

Gord Delbridge, President, CUPE Local 500
Gina McKay, President, CUPE Manitoba
Mark Hancock, National President, CUPE

CUPE Joins Manitoba Filipino Street Festival, June 24-25

As a lead sponsor, CUPE Manitoba is pleased to join the 2023 Manitoba Filipino Street Festival June 24-25 at the Maples Multiplex Grounds, 434 Adsum Drive. We will have a tent and booth set up for all to come by.

CUPE members are invited to join CUPE Manitoba’s float in the cultural parade at 11 AM on Saturday, June 24.

See the event website for more information.

 

CUPE Manitoba applauds Ontario education workers’ win against Ford government’s attack on rights

CUPE Manitoba is sending the support of its 37,000 members to education workers in Ontario, who are returning to the bargaining table after the Conservative government stripped away their right to free collective bargaining, forcing them to walk off the job and hold political protests.

In a vote held last month, the 55,000 Ontario education workers voted 96.5% in favour of a strike mandate, and served strike notice. In response, the Conservative government of Doug Ford passed legislation to prevent a strike, making job action illegal and imposing a contract on workers. CUPE members in Ontario rejected this legislation, withdrew their services, and after two days of protests forced the government to withdraw its legislation.

“Through its use of the Notwithstanding Clause, the Conservative government of Ontario attempted to destroy the legal right of workers to strike and collectively bargain,” said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba.

“This was a historic attack on the democratic rights of Canadian citizens and must be opposed by Premiers from coast to coast to coast so it is never used again”.

The Ford government’s legislation invoked the Notwithstanding Clause of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a seldom-used provision designed for situations of competing rights or national emergencies, to pre-emptively deny workers their fundamental rights.

“This was a radical attempt at union-busting that strikes at the core of our democracy, and CUPE members said enough is enough, and won” said McKay.

“CUPE Manitoba condemns the actions of the Ford Conservatives and we call on Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson to commit that she will never interfere with collective bargaining”.

CUPE Manitoba will continue to provide support to CUPE Ontario members as they return to the negotiating table.

 

CUPE Manitoba: Solidarity with Ontario Education Workers

Today, the Ford Conservative government of Ontario took an unprecedented step in forcing back to work legislation on education workers, violating workers’ constitutional rights to bargain fairly, and keeping many workers in poverty, instead of continuing with negotiations.

As workers and allies in Ontario go out on political protest tomorrow, CUPE Manitoba invites you to participate in online solidarity and action:

Hashtags: #IStandWithCUPE #MbPoli #OnPoli #DontBeABully

Abortion rights are human rights!

The U.S. Supreme Court has made a decision that directly targets the health & safety, human rights, and reproductive health rights for those accessing abortion and reproductive health services in the United States.

The court’s decision is rooted in politicizing and legislating the rights and decisions away from those needing safe and legal abortion and reproductive health services in their home communities.

All people needing access to abortion services are impacted, as this decision ensures that their bodily autonomy is no longer their own decision. Instead, individual states will have decision making power over what reproductive health services will be available, based on oppressive control measures.

The deep rooted oppressive measures taken are reflective of classism, sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and discriminatory governance and control.

As Manitoba’s largest union, we share our voice and solidarity with the labour movement, reproductive health clinics, 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, and community organizations in the United States that are advocating and opposing the dismantling of these rights.

We will advocate for everyone who needs abortion services, regardless of race, class, socioeconomic status, gender or identity.

For those who are forced to access abortion services and care in a non regulated or private program, we know that the risks are great for infection, complications, and even death. Public service reproductive care centres and clinics are crucial to ensure all humans have access to inclusive health care services in 2022.

If travel and access to reproductive health care increases in Manitoba as a result of this decision, CUPE & unionized workers stand with anyone seeking reproductive health care in our province.

The following resources and services are available for immediate support:

The Women’s Health Clinic:

https://womenshealthclinic.org/what-we-do/abortion/

Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC)

Winnipeg 204-982-7800
or Brandon 204-727-0417
https://serc.mb.ca/reproductive-justice-in-rural-and-remote-manitoban-communities/

For Teen Health information and a list of Teen Clinics in Manitoba visit: www.teentalk.ca

Klinic Crisis Line
204-786-8686 or 1-888-322-3019

Services in the Northern Health Region:

https://northernhealthregion.com/programs-and-services/medical-abortion/

To donate to abortion services in Manitoba, visit:

CUPE Manitoba donates to the Eugene Kostyra Memorial Fund

The CUPE Manitoba executive board made a donation of $5,000 to the Eugene Kostyra Memorial Trust Fund, supporting scholarships for students at St. John’s High School.

“CUPE Manitoba is proud to continue to honour Eugene’s legacy by supporting this wonderful scholarship program in his name”, said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. 

“Eugene’s life’s work has impacted thousands of Manitobans, and helped make the lives of CUPE members better”.

Eugene Kostyra was an active CUPE member, moving to become the CUPE Regional Director in Manitoba, and later a Member of the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet Minister.

At the 2021 CUPE Manitoba Convention, delegates voted to support the Eugene Kostyra Memorial Trust Fund, recognizing the importance of Eugene’s work, and it’s ongoing impact in the community.