Share
Morning greetings were brought to delegates at the Ontario Regional Council by Angela Robertson, who identifies as a feminist, an activist and a community leader, to speak about violence against women and what the union movement can do.
Robertson acknowledged and thanked Unifor for the invitation, but noted that she has a mixture of sadness given the timing of the event, which falls on the eve of the National Day of Remembrance and Action – December 6 – when 26 years ago 14 women were murdered in Montreal because of their gender.
“To be 26 years later and to know that we are still demanding change, I have a mixture of sadness to speak today,” she said. “Now is the time we must renew our commitment to action to end this silent war against women.”
Delegates were encouraged to use this moment to not just remember the horrific acts of violence that are reported and talked about, but to recognize the actions that happen every day in our workplace.
Half of all women have experienced at least one incident of violence, sexual or physical assault, since age 16, and on average every six days a woman is killed by their partner. Violence is rooted in socio economic inequality, she said and happens in all communities regardless of race, faith, sexuality, disability or economic status.
There are significant costs from violence against women, Robertson says, said, with $7.4 billion spent yearly on the cost of emergency room, loss of income, planning of funeral, Employment Insurance, etc. But a new government in Ottawa presents an opportunity, she said.
“We had a federal government that was trying to mash up labour. This is now a new moment that Unifor must hold the newly elected government to account,” she said. “There is a need for not just promises but to ensure what is said is what is done.”
Robertson reminded delegates that we all have a role to play to act against violence and challenge patriarchy and inequality, and encouraged members to hold the government to account on their promises and to align with and work with coalitions and groups such as Idle No More movement and Black Lives Matter, and an d to push for an inquiry into missing women.
“Not all of your work, or just one union’s work, can tackle violence against women. It is our collective responsibility.”
Robertson closed using the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to call upon delegates and the union to continue to respond to inequality and to be a principled force that transforms and brings about progress: “Resist until we have overcome.”
