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Corporations and politicians are using words like “diversity” and “inclusion” a lot these days. But too often, it amounts to little more than a PR move. For CUPE, honouring diversity and inclusion is essential to who we are as a union. For 60 years, our union has been at the front line of important fights for equity in our workplaces and our communities. And we are proud to amplify the voices of those who have been left on the sidelines, every single day.

We stand at an important moment in our history. We face the risk of major setbacks. Misogyny, racism, violence, and hate are on the rise. Most governments in Canada are Conservative or worse, and their leaders are shifting Canadian politics further into the extreme right. This, at a time when our economy is moving into a recession, when the central bank is promoting austerity once again, when employers are pushing back, and workers are at the end of their rope.

In December 2022, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) paid tribute to Sylvain Le May’s exceptional work by presenting him with the Carol McGregor CLC Disability Rights Award. A member of CUPE and a long-time trade unionist, Le May is an outstanding activist and an inspiration to us all.

Migrante Canada is a Canada-wide alliance of Filipino migrant and immigrant organizations. Working with CUPE 40, a local representing education workers in Calgary, they created a Global Justice Fund project in 2021 called Undocumented Workers are Workers - Regularize Now! which supports their organizing program. Organizers reach out to temporary foreign workers and convene workshops about their rights and how to assert these rights.

A powerful new video series features members of CUPE’s National Indigenous Council talking about what water means to them and their communities, and calls on us all to protect water resources and services. The series launched on World Water Day, March 22, 2023, and is part of CUPE’s Water is life campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the ongoing effects of colonization on Indigenous communities and build solidarity with CUPE members.

CUPE 5911 paramedics in Kenora had faced discrimination seeking accommodation during pregnancy going back many years. But in the spring of 2022, they reversed the tide, and achieved significant wins during negotiations for parents and expectant workers as well, as they found a far more receptive employer at the table. This is the story of how an organizing effort made that possible.

Fighting climate change is going to require a massive reorientation of investment toward low-carbon energy alternatives at a scale, intensity and speed never seen before. Despite this, governments and private actors continue to rely on market-based “solutions” to achieve this reorientation, through popular financial frameworks such as ESG.