The Jewish community has long played a central role in labour struggles and in the fight against discrimination in Canada. In 1947, the Jewish Labour Committee successfully lobbied to pass the first anti-discrimination resolution at the Canadian Congress of Labour, demanding “vigorous action” in “the fight for full equality for all peoples, regardless of race, colour, creed, or national origin.”
For Jewish Heritage Month, CUPE honours the historic role of the Jewish community in the promotion and defence of labour rights and social justice, and we call on our members to take action against the alarming surge in antisemitism in Canada and around the world. We must remain united and vigilant in our collective struggle against anti-Jewish hate.
As part of our celebration this year, we encourage members to learn more about the Jewish-Canadian labour organizer Annie Buller (1895-1973). Buller immigrated to Montreal as a child, and her passion for labour activism brought her across Canada. Among her many contributions to the union movement, Buller co-founded the Montreal Labour College, organized miners in Cape Breton and led a general strike of dressmakers in Toronto.