On May 15, CUPE and Hospital Employees Union (HEU) members, volunteers and staff were recognized for communications excellence at the Canadian Association of Labour Media (CALM) awards held in Windsor, Ontario.
The award-winning work ranged from newsletters and websites produced by local unions to publications at provincial and national levels. The conference and award ceremony are an annual event and draw union and labour activists from across Canada.
Print judge, Eric Mayne, told labour media that their stories deserved a wider audience. A former labour beat reporter with more than 20 years at The Detroit News and The Windsor Star, Mayne said union publications show members’ involvement in their communities, dealing with workers’ issues that the public need to heard, but seldom are covered in mainstream media.
CALM is a non-profit organization with a network of approximately 450 members. These union publications and editors provide labour-friendly stories, graphics, and training for labour communicators.
Each year, CALM hosts an annual conference with a variety of workshops on everything from making a better website to writing feature stories and analyzing media successes. Check out calm.ca for more information about how to join CALM.
CUPE and HEU winners
Best commercial radio ad
“Stand up for seniors’ care”, Producer Mike Old, HEU
Best website content (staff)
www.heu.org
Best website design (volunteer)
www.cupe87.ca (CUPE 87)
Excellence in layout and design – locals up to 500 members
News for your dues, CUPE 1063
Excellence in layout and design – locals 501 to 1000 members
CUPE on Campus, CUPE 1615 Memorial University
Excellence in layout and design – produced by staff
CUPE Celebrates, CUPE National (graphic designer: Marnie Thorp)
Best photograph by staff/Honourable mention
“Lady in orange”, Patty Gibson, HEU
Best cartoon produced by volunteers
“The Two Faces of Gordo”, Local Voice, CUPE 378, Huw Evans
Best illustration (staff category)
“Together We Can”, CUPE Celebrates, CUPE National (Josee Bisaillon)
Best overall publication produced by staff
Guardian, HEU
The Ed Finn Award for best feature story
“Greening Health Care”, HEU Guardian (Olive Dempsey)
The Breaking Barriers Award
“Taking Back our Province: CUPE BC’s Election Guide”, Public Employee, CUPE BC