Harassment and Discrimination

There is recent evidence of racial and gender harassment and discrimination at the highest level in Local 79. Local 79 must make it clear through words and actions that bullying, harassment and discrimination on any ground is unacceptable, will not be tolerated, that we will act to stand as allies against harassment and discrimination. 

We must ensure  anti-bullying, anti-harassment and anti-racism training and rules of conduct are in place and enforced.

Local 79 should go beyond training and make it clear we stand opposed to harassment, discrimination and bullying of any kind, that we challenge racism, sexism, homophobia, and oppression in all its forms.  Local 79 should commit ourselves to becoming better allies.

I will have more to add as this campaign - these are my initial thoughts on what Local 79 should do in the wake of harassing behaviour found in our leadership, to improve our Local in protecting against harassment and discrimination.

There has been an increasing  understanding of the important of  confronting racism in its systemic and individual behaviour forms, particularly since the death of George Floyd, others like Regis Korchinski-Paquet here in Toronto, anti-Asian racism rising during the pandemic.

Local 79 needs to both ensure that there is training and rules in place making it clear that racist behaviour  is unacceptable, and make it clear that we are Anti-racist and allies of Anti-racism. We need to develop both Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)and Anti-Racism strategies.

Local 79 should also review all our policies and practices, and those employing our members, from the of anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti oppression lenses, and ensure anti-racist, ant-sexist and anti-oppression principles are adopted by ourselves in the work we do as trade unionists and encourage they be adopted by those who employ our members.

I know that I personally have more to learn and do, but am committed the process of ongoing learning, and acting. I have been partaking in the workplace Confronting Anti-Black Racism in my workplace at Yonge Eglinton Employment and Social Services (YEESS), and will continue to learn about systemic racism,  subconscious and implicit bias,  privilege, and work with others to confront racism, sexism and other forms of oppression.

Union work is social justice work. There are a number of social justice causes where unions should be strong allies, supporting the  human rights of many, including our members.

Many other social justice groups and movements are very supportive of the work of unions. There is mutual benefits in fighting for each others rights.

It is clear that we are not immune from bullying, harassing, racist, sexist behaviour.  When it happens within our Local, in our employment relations, and in the communities we serve, we have to confront it, and in order to do that we have to learn to be better allies.

I still have much  to learn, let's learn and act as allies together.

Here is a OPSEU on what is means to be an Ally

https://opseu.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/what_does_it_mean_to_be_an_ally.pdf

Here is CUPE on allies in Global Solidarity

https://cupe.ca/working-our-allies