CUPE is committed to fighting the ongoing violence against Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people, many of whom are Indigenous, Black, and racialized trans women. Many of the murders documented by the Trans Murder Monitoring project were trans people killed on the job as sex workers.
Despite ongoing hatred, Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people continue to be at the forefront of social justice movements. In the face of growing and coordinated hate campaigns, CUPE members across the country are joining the fight to defend trans rights.
Governments across the country have been playing politics with the safety of trans people. Policy makers in Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Alberta are trying to force education workers to out youth who change their names or pronouns putting students at increased risk for violence and isolation in their homes and putting ally CUPE members in a precarious position on the job. Conservative politicians have also supported efforts to ban young people from accessing life-saving gender-affirming care, and to exclude trans women from women’s spaces and sports. CUPE members in all sectors are fighting back.
Trans Day of Remembrance serves as a stark reminder of how much work we still must do. We are committed to continuing to make our workplaces, unions and communities safer for trans people.
Take action
Negotiate
Bargain language to advance the rights of trans members. Use our guide: Bargaining Beyond the Binary: A negotiating guide for trans inclusion and gender diversity.
Use CUPE’s checklist on bargaining 2SLGBTQI+ rights.
Check out the Canadian Labour Congress Workers in Transition Guide
Educate
Educate yourself and your members about key trans issues and why CUPE stands with trans people, to help make your workplace safer and trans-inclusive.
Become an ally for gender diversity, ask for union education courses and human rights presentations in your region.
Invite a trans activist to speak to your local.
Use CUPE educational resources, including our fact sheets on pronouns and Allies on Gender Diversity, and share them with other members and your employer.
Read CUPE’s report on making public services safer for 2SLGBTQI+ workers and older adults.
Mobilize
Participate in Trans Day of Remembrance events in your community.
Challenge transphobic comments and behaviour as well as racism, misogyny, class oppression and other forms of violence towards trans people.
