Western Growth Meeting builds organizing strength

Calgary – May 10, 2019 – UFCW activists from across Western Canada gathered at the UFCW Local 401 office in Calgary from April 15 to 16 to participate in two days of capacity building, knowledge sharing, and planning for future growth.

Attended by over 25 participants from each western province and every western UFCW Local Union, the Western Growth Meeting enabled activists to build more worker power and share updates on recent organizing victories in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

At the meeting, participants discussed the strategies that are being utilized by different Local Unions to help more workers gain the union advantage at work. Many of the conversations also centered around understanding and responding to new labour legislation in the respective provinces.

As well, activists reviewed the winning formulas behind recent organizing wins at Stella’s Sherbrooke and Osborne, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), Elbow River Casino, and other workplaces. Attendees resolved to hold regular meeting calls to share ideas and resources for successful organizing, and to develop more tools that can be shared among organizers.

“Organizing is not only essential to helping more workers gain the benefits of union representation at work, it’s also critical for building bargaining strength in our core sectors,” says Pablo Godoy, UFCW Canada Regional Director for the Western Provinces. “This meeting allowed us to share best practices for organizing so that we can continue to grow our great union throughout Western Canada,” he adds. 

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