The resilience of workers around the world inspires hope. Shoulder to shoulder we stand united in our quest for good strong public services and respect for the work we do. We understand that public services are the great equalizer. Give a community clean public drinking water and you will have gone a long way to ensure the health of that community.
The value of a worker to his or her family is immeasurable, but for governments rife with corruption the value of a worker to his or her family is irrelevant. CUPE and its international partners will not let human rights violations go unnoticed. We will continue to sound the alarm on corporate aggression and human rights violations, as an injury to one is an injury to all.
Whether it is the courage to organize on issues of occupational health and safety in the maquila (free trade) zones in Honduras or the brave actions of our sisters and brothers in the Philippines to end corruption, CUPE’s solidarity work with our partners is life altering. As we defend public water against privatization here in Canada, we are learning about successful strategies from our partners in Colombia and internationally, thereby helping to stem the tide of international privatization of water.
When CUPE members organize to welcome Bangladeshi garment workers to speak at community gatherings, we let Canadian companies know that we do not accept the exploitation of garment workers as a part of doing business, no matter where production is.
We live in a global village where the defence of public services against privatization is key to maintaining a strong quality of life. Our work with Public Services International helps inform our discussions and strategies. Together we work to promote public services and defend the rights of millions of workers around the world.
There is strength in our solidarity and strategy in our shared experience.
It may feel like the road ahead is an impossible one to walk when so much is happening right here in our own backyards. As Nelson Mandela said: It always seems impossible until it’s done.
Learn more about CUPE’s global justice work at cupe.ca/globaljustice
