CLC Day 2 - Together Fairness Works for all workers
Click on the image above to see the photo gallery. |
Montreal - May 7, 2014 - Fairness was at the centre of Day 2 of the CLC 27th Constitutional Convention. Tuesday morning, the focus was on the Together Fairness Campaign and how it has done so far how to promote fairness, to counter the attack on labour rights by ultra-conservative politicians and corporate elites. The groundbreaking campaign, launched last year and supported by the combined endorsement of CLC affiliates, including UFCW Canada's leading efforts, is the most comprehensive labour campaign carried out in Canadian history. On Tuesday, a review of post-campaign research survey and focus group data confirmed that the Together Fairness mix of national TV advertisements, multimedia graphics and social media efforts have had a positive impact on attitudes towards unions - in the minds of the general public, but also in the hearts of union members.
Together Fairness workshops have also empowered over 1,000 union presidents and senior officers, as well as more than 4,000 staff and member-activists who are now leading grassroots conversation about fairness with their coworkers, family members, and neighbours.
The closed-door session also briefed delegates on the strategic messaging and direction for the next phase of the Together Fairness campaign that has been specifically designed to counter and defeat anti-worker politicians and governments in upcoming elections, including defeating the Harper government in 2015 and replacing it with a government that believes in fairness.
Fairness was also on the agenda Tuesday afternoon, in setting the stage for union renewal by reaching out to marginalized workers most prone to exploitation because of their race, sexual orientation, age, physical limitations, or immigration status. A series of comprehensive resolutions were presented on embracing demographic change and diversity to help grow the labour movement. As Canada's most diverse and inclusive union, UFCW Canada was a driving force behind a number of resolutions, including a demand the federal government introduce better protection and monitoring against the exploitation of migrant workers; an open, transparent review of the Temporary Foreign Workers program; a pathway to citizenship for temporary foreign workers; a call for nationally funded quality childcare system; and a renewed push so the Retirement Security for Everyone becomes a reality.