LIUNA Local 3000

Today, June 21, marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, along with the start of the Summer Solstice (featuring the longest day of the year). For generations, many Indigenous groups and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage during the change of the seasons.

Feel free to find additional learning resources about First Nations, Inuit and Métis via the link below:
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1621447127773/1621447157184

While on this day, we celebrate freedom, let us not forget that the fight for racial, social, and economic justice continues!

From Nathan's Phillips Square to taking to the streets and marching to Queen's Park in Toronto, many colours were loud and proud in protest of the Provincial government's move to privatize public healthcare.

Get involved, get informed:
https://www.stopforprofithealthcare.ca/facts-about-health-care

Rise Up! This Thursday, May 30 at noon!
Tell the provincial government to stop the privatization of our health care!

The goal is to hold a very large protest and march in Toronto starting at Nathan Phillips Square and going to the Ontario Legislature which will be in session with Members of Provincial Parliament there from across Ontario. For those regions that are too far to bus in to Toronto to join the event, there will be a few large regional events as per the link below:
https://www.stopforprofithealthcare.ca/may-30-protest

If you're unable to be involved, get informed:
https://www.stopforprofithealthcare.ca/facts-about-health-care

Leadership Conference 2024 - Day 02

And just like that, another LIUNA Leadership conference has come and gone! There was no shortage of great moments, speakers and memories that will last a lifetime. From here, let us strive to move Forward Together!

This is VON Week: a week the company says is meant to celebrate themselves and their staff.
Yet, there are hundreds of hard-working VON healthcare workers in Hastings, Northumberland & Prince Edward who have gone four years without a raise. Shame on you, VON. If you really want to celebrate these healthcare heroes, come back to the bargaining table and offer these employees a fair wage.

And awayyyy we go! Thus begins the LIUNA Local 3000 Leadership Conference for 2024!. This year's theme is 'Forward Together' and is definitely appropriate as we look toward a bigger and brighter future, together!.
Stay tuned for more pictures, videos, stories, etc.

As of today, the beginning of National Nursing Week (May 6-12), let us draw attention to nurses and increase the awareness of their many contributions to the well-being of Canadians.

In 1971, May 12, the birthday of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, was designated as International Nurses Day. 14 years later, negotiations started with the federal government to have the week containing May 12th proclaimed as National Nurses Week annually. Soon after, the federal minister of health proclaimed the second week of May as National Nurses Week. In 1993, the name was changed to National Nursing Week to emphasize the profession's accomplishments as a discipline.

This week is jam-packed with many Nursing related events that can be found via the link below:
https://myrnao.ca/upcoming-events

What started as an art installation in 2010 soon morphed into a movement. Indigenous Peoples, allies and advocates across Canada and beyond embraced the symbolic red dress as a rallying cry for awareness and action. Red Dress Day, or what is known officially as National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit people has emerged as an annual event, bringing people together to honor the lives lost and demand justice for the victims and their families.

To mark this day, join in by wearing something red to express your solidarity with Indigenous women, girls, survivors and families.

On this May 1st, International Worker's Day (aka May Day), let us celebrate the resilience and dedication of workers in ALL fields, and raise a fist in acknowledgement of the legacy of workers' struggles. May we find unity, solidarity, and strength in our shared pursuit of a more just and equitable society.

Below are some informative links that share the history of May Day (stemming from Chicago and the later 1800s) along with its impact in Montreal during the early 1900s and leading up to today.

May Day origin:
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/misc/origins_of_mayday/

May Day in Canada
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/international-workers-day-may-day

Whether you're looking for informative fact sheets or on the hunt for nearby Earth Day events, you'll find that and much more at:

https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2024/

Let us challenge ourselves to make every day Earth Day!

On the 21st of March every year, we come together to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The day is a call to action for unity, understanding, and crafting a society where everyone is valued and respected, no matter their background.
This year's theme is “A Decade of Recognition, Justice, and Development: Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent”.

Each year, on March 08, the world marks International Women’s Day (IWD) to renew the collective commitment to achieving gender equality. This year's theme is, “invest in women,” to accelerate progress.”


Check out the vast number of IWD related happenings via the Eventbrite links below:

ONTARIO
https://www.eventbrite.ca/d/canada--ontario/international-women's-day/

ALBERTA
https://www.eventbrite.ca/d/canada--alberta/international-women's-day/dsadsadsaeeeee

SASKATCHEWAN
https://www.eventbrite.ca/d/canada--saskatchewan--85682113/international-women's-day/

March 1st is Zero Discrimination Day, a day that calls for an end to all forms of discrimination and promotes diversity, tolerance, and inclusion. Discrimination can take many forms and affects millions of people around the world. It's important to raise awareness and take action to create a more just and equal society.
This year's theme: 'To protect everyone's health, protect everyone's rights'.

Villa Forum for the win!!!

The 200 workers at Villa Forum win with double-digit raises in a two-year contract.
Just a sliver shy of an unanimous ratification, the workers demonstrated strength in numbers and will receive significant top-up to Pregnancy Leave and Health & Welfare benefits! Together we're strong! Together we win!

Just because February is coming to an end, it doesn't mean that the celebration of Black history needs to stop!

Here are a few links with greater stories of the icons pictured below:

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/collection/black-history-in-canada
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/black-canadians.html
https://humanrights.ca/black-history-and-human-rights

Before the month rolls to an end, let us take a look at two remarkable physicians who spoke out against racism and pushed for change in society and in the medical world.

Despite the over-abundance of media platforms and publications, the quest for inclusive reporting and broadening diversity still exists today.
Here are just a few examples of Canadians who took it upon themselves to create a platform to promote civil and social justice and change.

In Memoriam

Christine Edgar left this world on February 12, 2024 after a long battle with several complex medical issues. She will be missed by family, friends, and her LIUNA Local 3000 family from across the country.

Her career spanned nearly four decades in downtown Toronto hospitals where she worked tirelessly to improve the lives of patients, to support critical medical research, and to train, mentor and fight for her coworkers. She loved international travel, made many friends across the world and did good deeds wherever she visited.

In 2011, Chris was instrumental in organizing workers in the Labs at St. Michael’s Hospital in downtown Toronto and her commitment to her union never waned. She served as a Steward, at the bargaining table, as a Return-to-Work Representative and a fearless advocate for worker safety on the Hospital’s Joint Health and Safety Committee. She represented members at National Conventions and Leadership Conferences.

Sidelined by her illnesses, she continued to fight for her fellow Union members – often advising and advocating for them. Even in the last weeks of her life, she continued to contact union stewards and officers to pass along important information to aid her coworkers.

We’ll miss her unflagging determination, her encyclopedic knowledge, and her kindness.

She was a titan.

Rest in peace, Chris. Your spirit lives on in the many lives you touched.

As we celebrate Black History Month, there are certain names that are recognized immediately, but today, we're bringing focus to some unsung heroes, especially in Canadian history - the sleeping car porters who fought for many of the employment rights and standards that Canadians take for granted today.

Bill 124 capped public sector salaries at one per cent per year over three years and was struck down after labour groups and unions went to court over the legislation.
This decision by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice is a huge victory for workers and collective bargaining all across Ontario.

From LIUNA Local 3000 - We wish you great happiness and prosperity in 2024!

Here's another firebrand who overcame great adversity to become an important leader of the movement for civil rights and for the right to unionize in the 19th century.

For , we're going to take a look at a few firebrands who not only pushed for women's rights and racial equality but for labour reform as well!

For , we're going to shine a light where it all began... the Ontario Black History Society and the forces who were able to have Black History Month officially recognized in Canada!

--- IN MEMORIAM ---
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Nancy MacIntyre - one of our champions at Providence Manor Long Term Care in Kingston. Nancy was a dedicated health care worker, a friend, a mentor and an outspoken advocate for her fellow Union members. She served as Communication Officer and a member of our Negotiation Committee.

Nancy was taken from us too soon. She will be missed by friends, families and co-workers and all of us at Local 3000.

REST IN PEACE.