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May 17, 2013,
Today we recognize the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. CUPE Ontario encourages all members to join us in marking this day and renewing our commitment to take action in workplaces and communities to end discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
When people hear the term “collective bargaining,” they tend to think of wages and benefits. But as a union, we use our collective strength to negotiate many things, among them safe workplaces, anti-harassment policies and procedures, and equality.
In addition to fighting homophobia and transphobia through our collective bargaining rights, we also actively pursue legislative changes at all levels of government. Through the combined efforts of CUPE Ontario, the NDP and many community groups, the past year has seen several important changes to provincial and federal laws.
This winter, the federal government passed NDP MP Randall Garrison’s private member’s bill, which, like MPP Cheri DiNovo’s “Toby’s Act” in Ontario, made history by extending legal human rights protections to transgender people.
We fight for these rights because they are the rights of our members, because our members voted to stand up for them, and because ending discrimination and harassment is at the core of our beliefs. We will make a strong statement about those beliefs at our 50th Convention in Toronto next week, where we will hold a historic election for our first-ever Diversity Vice-President, LGBTQ.
In Solidarity,
Fred Hahn, President
Candace Rennick, Secretary-Treasurer
