UFCW Canada activists from Western Canada participate in another exciting Youth Internship Program

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Gimli, Man. – July 28, 2014 – Canada’s leading union for young workers recently held a stimulating week of training and education with UFCW Canada youth activists from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. From July 21 - 25, members of UFCW Canada Locals 649, 832, 1400, and 1869 participated in the Youth Internship Program (YIP) in Gimli, Manitoba.

YIP is a unique, celebrated, and long-standing initiative of UFCW Canada, where member activists under the age of 30 participate in a week of workshops that help them shine as leaders in their workplaces and communities. YIP provides participants with a direct line of communication with their union, to talk about issues that are important to young workers. It is a national program, providing cutting-edge training and labour education for UFCW youth activists across Canada.

The recent YIP session in Gimli began with training in collective bargaining, how unions work, labour history, and organizing. Workshops later in the week included critical analysis of the media, economic globalization, overcoming barriers to political activism, anti-racism/anti-oppression training, and leadership development. Participants agreed that YIP demonstrates how young workers can truly change the world when they unite and join the union.

“Coming from many different types of workplaces and communities, the YIP activists worked hard during the workshops to make their role in our union strong and responsive to the needs of their fellow members,” says UFCW Canada National Representative Pablo Godoy, who helped facilitate the Gimli session.