As part of our union’s commitment to learn from the experiences and celebrate the successes of Indigenous, Black and racialized CUPE members, CUPE is profiling members of the National Indigenous Council and National Racial Justice Committee. This month, meet National Indigenous Council member Jason Schrader.

Jason Schrader wakes up joyful every day, embracing the life he’s reclaimed by connecting with his identity as an Indigenous person.

That feeling comes from unlearning - and healing from - his racist upbringing.

He explained it to delegates at the 2024 CUPE Saskatchewan Indigenous Conference as “the joy of finding my identity, of asking those hard questions and learning why it took so long for my mom to be who she was as a Mi’kmaq woman. That joy has not wavered. It’s still there and gets stronger with each day I move forward appreciating who I am and who I’ve become.”

Jason was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta to a Mi’kmaq mother and a white father he describes as “a very racist man.” His family moved around, eventually settling in Saskatoon, where Jason lives and works as a caretaker for the Greater Saskatoon School Division. He’s been a CUPE 3730 member since 2015 and is the head caretaker at a small French school.

Jason and his siblings experienced a “toxic upbringing” where his father hurled racist abuse at them for being Indigenous. “We weren’t allowed to be who we were,” he says. Alcohol abuse and the drug trade tore his family apart.

Jason left home at 12 and started working at 16. His mother began to take her identity back when she was in her 40s, which started Jason down the long path of reclaiming his identity as well.

 “I proudly self-identify. I know where I come from, I know where I am now. It took me many years to be comfortable,” he says.

Caring for his family

Jason worked many jobs including chef and vacuum cleaner salesperson before settling into caretaker work for the past 25 years. He chose a job where he could be around for his oldest son Mason, eventually taking full custody when Mason’s mother couldn’t be part of his life.

Over the years, what began as Mason being diagnosed with autism progressed to serious health concerns. At 16, Mason was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, MECP2 duplication syndrome. Doctors said he wouldn’t live past age 26.

Jason and his new partner cared for Mason at home along with their younger son. They surrounded him with care and love as his condition progressed.  “He lived with us right up until the end. I refused to put him in a home.” Mason died in January 2020 at age 19, of complications from a suspected COVID infection.

CUPE was there for Jason as he cared for Mason. “It was amazing,” he says. “When I started with the school board and they learned about him, they were very compassionate and took very good care of me.”

“I was a mess the day of Mason’s celebration, but I remember seeing so many CUPE members there. They were always a huge support and they still are a huge support to me as I go through things,” he says.

Getting involved in CUPE

Jason got involved in his local as a shop steward and served as CUPE 3730 president for several years. Jason served four years on the CUPE Saskatchewan Indigenous Council and is now in his first term on the National Indigenous Council.

“It brings me so much joy to be part of a big movement and the bigger picture,” he says.

“Being on the national council gives me a lot of knowledge about how other regions work, and what’s happening in other regions. We all have the same goals and vision, so let’s pool our resources.”

An important part of the council’s work for Jason is being visible across the country and raising the profile of Indigenous members in our union. He sees visibility as one way of pushing back against bias and discrimination, and thinks CUPE is well-placed to tackle racism because of our union’s size.

“We are massive across Canada, and with that comes diversity. You get all walks of life and you’re in so many important sectors,” he says. “You can reach so many people on a scale others can only dream of.”

Education is one of Jason’s priorities. He’s proud of the council’s work giving input into a full-day workshop that will help build a safer union and safer workplaces for all Indigenous CUPE members. 

Sharing his story

Jason shares his story hoping it will build understanding with other CUPE members about the need for reconciliation, and the resilience of Indigenous peoples. As he told Indigenous conference delegates in Saskatchewan, “we can’t change the past. But we can start today to make a better tomorrow.”

Jason sees change happening in many ways, including diversity and inclusion language in his collective agreement.

“It’s a nice tool for our board to have, to be able to give diverse members a leg up and get into the workforce.”

He says hiring Indigenous workers means kids and families can see themselves in school staff who speak their language and know their culture.

“It goes a long way with building relationships and breaking down barriers.”

He has one piece of advice for an Indigenous, Black or racialized member who wants to get involved in CUPE. “Get to those general membership meetings. Get involved as soon as possible,” he says. “Find your niche and run with it.”

Learn more about CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy including Goal 4, which focuses on highlighting the lived experiences of Indigenous, Black and racialized members and celebrating their successes, at cupe.ca/cupes-anti-racism-strategy. And check out these tips for putting the strategy into action in your local.