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Unifor’s first women’s conference attracted 305 participants and took on a range of issues from the need for better child care to an end to precarious work.
“We can have better workplaces, better communities, and even a better labour movement,” said Julie White, Women’s Department Director in her opening address. “It’s not a dream, it’s a goal.” The conference took place at Unifor’s Education Centre in Port Elgin, Ontario from August 10-13.
The objective of the conference, themed “I’m a feminist, so now what? The rising of women means the rising of us all,” was to prepare women for the next federal election, currently scheduled for October 19, 2015. Through a series of workshops, women explored a number of key issues and how to organize and mobilize for not only the municipal elections happening this fall in several provinces and the New Brunswick provincial election, but the federal election next year – starting now.
The conference included an inspiring opening speech by Julie White, a keynote address by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Senior Researcher Kate McInturff and an address by Assistant to the President Jenny Ahn. The conference also included a panel featuring Sonia Singh, an organizer for the Workers Action Centre; Ontario Regional Director Katha Fortier and Western Regional Director Joie Warnock, moderated by Unifor Community Chaper Co-ordinator Roxanne Dubois on the topic of Feminist Issues, Feminist Power. The second panel featured Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions Linda Silas, Community Director of the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children at Western University Barb MacQuarrie and Women in Politics founder Shawna Lewkowitz, moderated by Unifor Communications Representative Shannon Devine on the topic of Feminist Mobilizing Toward 2015. Unifor Communications Director Sarah Blackstock also delivered a presentation on five easy ways to get ready for the election.
“Politics happens every day, it’s not something that has to wait until the writ drops,” said White. She said that from the conference, participants will go back to their local unions and begin to plan the actions that they will take for the 2015 election. “We can and must start to prepare now.”
For more information, please visit: http://www.unifor.org/en/member-services/equality/women
