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UPDATE AND REPORT ON
WORKERS OF COLOUR/ABORIGINAL
WORKERS CONFERENCE, 2003
On June 14th, the Toronto & York Region Labour Council held its first Workers of Colour/Aboriginal Conference entitled "Building Power".
Over three hundred delegates plus observers, community members, workshop facilitators, information fair participants and staff took part
in this small piece of local labour history. Outreach and registration had been extensive: in the six month lead up to the conference
we used all means at our disposal including: website, three mailings, monthly Labour Council general meetings, our newsletter, email
lists and finally phone banking to the affiliated locals and community organizations.
The conference venue, the Ontario Federation of Labour building, was chosen strategically. We wanted participants to be in the
‘house of labour' building, to occupy all spaces and make it their own.
Goals
The Labour Council's Equity Committee had a clear goals for the conference: to advance our ‘Equity Plan of Action' by letting our
members know about our accomplishments and get feedback on future directions; to build on the Canadian Labour Congress' National
Aboriginal/Workers of Colour Conference and link national struggles to local ones; to focus on the upcoming November Municipal
Elections and encourage workers to get active; and most importantly to give labour activists a chance to meet each other, discuss
ommon issues and problems, strategize and build community.
Overview of the Day
The morning began with a First Nations traditional opening with sister Wanda Whitebird. Then, three speakers Ethel Birkett-LaValley,
OFL; John Cartwright, Labour Council and Hassan Yussuff, CLC spoke from their different vantage points about the importance of the
equity agenda at the local, provincial and federal levels.
The workshops held throughout the day focused on such diverse issues as:
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Racial Profiling/Targetting
Organizing School: Municipal Campaign Basics
Colonization of Yesterday and Today: The Uncensored History of Aboriginal Peoples
Taking it to the Fields: Social Justice for Migrant Agricultural Workers
Spinning the Message: Communications and the Media
Solidarity from the Global to the Local: Globalization and International Trade
Taking Back our Transit! Organize!
We have Rights! Immigrants, Refugees and Workers of Colour Organize
Building Leadership
Part of our Legacy: The Linking Struggles and Social Justice Project
Race, Racism, Health Care
Education, Equity and the Fight for our Children's and Society's Future
Good Enough to Work, Good Enough to Stay
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We had an information fair with over 20 organizations from the community and within labour. During lunch David Miller, mayoralty
candidate unveiled his ‘Equity' platform which was very well received.
The final plenary session was co-chaired by Sonia Reynolds, President of SEIU Local 777 and Medhi Kouhestaninejad, President of CUPE
Toronto District and Local 3261. During this session four special guests addressed the participants: Winnie Ng, Director CLC-ON Region
and Janice Gairey, Education Director, Ontario Federation of Labour gave us a brief history of Aboriginal/Workers of Colour struggles
and highlighted some accomplishments and possible future steps.
Miguel Contreras, Executive Secretary/Treasurer, Los Angeles Federation of Labour and Maria Elena Durazo, President of the Hotel
Employees & Restaurant Employees (HERE) local 11 and Director of the ‘Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride' delivered a keynote that covered
American organizing challenges and successes, told us stories of actual cases of workers fighting for status and some of their
mmigration nightmares. They concluded the presentation by describing the organizing efforts now underway around the ‘Immigrant Workers
Freedom Ride' modeled after the 1960's Civil Rights campaign and ride.
Outcomes
Building on what we heard from our four guests as well as results from the workshops, the participants debated action points to move
the equity agenda in Toronto & York Region forward. The six points for action include:
Participants using what they learned at the conference in the workplace to actively work to strengthen Aboriginal and people of
colour participation from regular meetings to the leadership level;
Ensuring that the Labour Council reflects the diversity of our members by encouraging the election of more Aboriginal and Workers of
Colour as delegates;
Strengthening and helping to establish new connections in our neighborhoods and at the community level;
Working together with like minded community organizations to advance our common goals;
The Labour Council to expand its equity committee;
The Labour Council to hold yearly ‘Equity Forums' to move our agenda forward.
What's been done
the research project "Making the Links" that will chronicle the history of labour's anti-racist work in Toronto is nearly finished.
It will be published by the Labour Council
the video "Colour Bars" is under production and will be showcased at a special event next March 21st, the International Day for the
Elimination of Racism
new credentials are being sent to affiliated local unions to name their delegates for 2004/5. We are urging workers of colour to put
their names forward for those positions
Sister Jenny Ahn, CAW Local 40 president and co-chair of the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance has been elected to the Labour Council
Executive, and there are opportunities to add more leaders of colour to the Executive early next year
Labour Council President John Cartwright joined community activists at the presentation on racial profiling to the Ontario Commission
on Police Services
Labour Education Centre spearheaded the struggle, along with HERE Local 75 for income relief and training programs for hotel
workers impacted by SARS
Labour Council has endorsed the "Threadbare Project"exposing the unjust detention of South Asian students
Labour Day ads were taken out in major ethnic and language newspapers advertising the parade
unions families are being asked to support seven progressive visible minority candidates in the November municipal elections
This is a process that will continue. A second Workers of Colour/Aboriginal Workers conference is being planned for spring of 2004.
Labour Council is looking to everyone who atttended the wonderful event last June to reach out to sisters and brothers in every union and bring them out. And before then, we are asking every union activist to get involved in our many efforts to move the equity agenda forward in Canada's largest urban centre.
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