Upcoming meetings in Lethbridge - Ratification vote, Women's Committee, LDLC

TC Contract Ratification Vote

WhenMon, September 9, 4:30pm – 7:30pm

WhereLethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office - 105A-3305 18th Ave North, Lethbridge AB (map)

DescriptionThere will be information sessions throughout the evening, approximately hourly, starting at 4:30 with TC bargaining team member June Winger. Voting will be ongoing after each information session. We encourage everyone to attend an information session prior to voting. Location: LDLC meeting room is located in the Palliser Regional Schools building, Room 105 A. Entrance is around the back of the building. Follow the signs once you park. Please bring: your union membership card

Lethbridge Area Women's Committee Meeting

WhenTue, September 10, 5pm – 7pm

WhereLibrary space at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (map)

DescriptionAll Southern Alberta PSAC members who identify as women are welcome to attend. Contact Maria for more information. maria.fitzpatrick10ATgmail.com

Lethbridge District Labour Council meeting

WhenWed, September 11, 7pm – 9pm

WhereLethbridge & District Labour Council (LDLC) Office - 105A-3305 18th Ave North, Lethbridge AB (map)

Lethbridge Regional Women’s Committee Meeting

Tuesday, June 4, 2013
5:30pm
Lethbridge District Labour Council Boardroom

Light supper at 5:30pm. Meeting at 6pm.
Please RSVP to Maria at maria.fitzpatrick10@gmail.com.
Include any dietary accommodations.

All Lethbridge and Area PSAC members who identify as female are welcome to attend.

Agenda:
Resolutions from Regional Women's Committee
Report on activities
Upcoming activities

Shannan Little awarded AFL International Women's Day Award

This year marked the 9th Biennial Convention of the Alberta Federation of Labour. More than 500 labour activists, leaders and delegates gathered to celebrate the achievements of unions, hear from dozens of speakers, and help chart the direction for the future.

During Convention, Shannan Little, a PSAC member from Agriculture Local 30048 in Lethbridge, was awarded with the International Women’s Day Award, which recognizes a sister in the labour movement for her outstanding commitment and leadership in the trade union movement and community.

According to Little, the award was a special honour that recognized both creativity in action and cooperation with the broader community.

“This award has re-energized the activist spirit inside of me. It is strong motivation to continue to fight for fairness and social justice. It has also generated dialogue with other activists. After the award ceremony, numerous people came to speak to me and there was a great sharing of ideas that I hope will continue.”

For the past five years, Little has served on as the Human Rights Representative on her Local executive, with special consideration for issues regarding women and children, poverty and Indigenous rights. Most recently, she has been working with the local Idle No More movement in their anti-Bill C-45 protests, teach-ins and round dances.

She was also instrumental in launching the anti-poverty and safe food supply initiative, the Lethbridge Research Centre Food Banks' Garden, by obtaining start-up funding and coordinating the volunteer team. The Food Banks' Garden commenced in 2010 and has donated $18,000 of fresh, quality produce to the local food bank in three years.

Sherry Hunt was one of the nominators to submit Little’s name for consideration on behalf of Local 30048.

“I do not think that I would be the activist I am without her being the activist she is. She works hard for our membership and our community and that kind of interaction between union and community is essential as we try to reach out to our allies in these difficult times.”

Little was happy to share the spotlight with those that helped her along the way, including members of her Local and her supportive family.

“This award is shared with my Sisters and Brothers in Local 30048, with our labour allies and our community allies as well. It is also acknowledgement of the sacrifice my family makes for my activism. Time spent in activism is time lost for my family. I was able to publicly thank my children Kieran and Cleio, my supportive and generous husband Dave, and my mother and father. No one can do these things without the support of family and allies.”

Looking ahead, Little says she will continue her work to promote social justice issues and political action initiatives in her workplace, around her community and throughout her union.

“I will continue to work on creative methods of engaging our members and to create coalitions within the labour movement and beyond.”

Shannan attended the CLC Political Action Conference in March as a representative from the PSAC Prairie Region: Read her report. You can also follow her on Twitter: @ShannanLittle.

http://prairies.psac.com/labour-affiliates/alberta/shannan-little-awarded-afl-international-womens-day-award

Strike Training and Women's Committee Meeting

Two more dates to mark on your calendar -

Lethbridge Area Women's Committee Meeting
Monday, April 22, 2013 5-7pm
Palliser School Board, 3305-18 Ave N Lethbridge AB

First meeting!
Election of Officers
PSAC members in Lethbridge & Area in good standing and who identify as female are welcome.
Please let a member of the executive know that you wish to attend as a meal will be served.


Strike Training
Tuesday, April 23, 5-8pm
Sandman Hotel

Registration is required.
Register here by Apr 16.
http://prairies.psac.com/education/events/tc-strike-prep-course-lethbridge

This training is especially important to members of the TC bargaining team.

International Women's Day

Event in Lethbridge on Friday. Please join us in celebrating International Women's Day!

Human Rights for First Nations Children

Today the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal is hearing a case that alleges the Canadian government discriminates against First Nation children through its inadequate funding of family services. The Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society allege that the federal government is discriminating against First Nations families and children by funding child welfare at amounts that are far less than what’s provided by provincial governments off of reserves.

In solidarity, members of Local 30048 has signed dozens of "Have a heart for First Nations children" letters which we will be delivering to our local Member of Parliament, Jim Hillyer.

These letters were collected on February 14, on the International Day of One Billion Rising.

Read more: 

www.ctvnews.ca/canada/tribunal-hears-first-nations-child-welfare-case-does-ottawa-discriminate-1.1170503#ixzz2Lx1DfwGG

aptn.ca/pages/news/2013/02/25/human-rights-tribunal-into-how-feds-treat-first-nation-children-underway/

www.fnwitness.ca

Annual Dinner Meeting

Our Annual Dinner Meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 21, 2013 at 5:30pm at the New Dynasty Restaurant.

Agenda:

Bargaining 2013/ TC group Public Interest Commission report
Local 30048 budget presentation
Establishment of Lethbridge & Area Women’s Committee

Please RSVP to stephanieerb68@yahoo.ca by noon on Friday, January 18 if you are attending.

Lethbridge Area Women's Committee Formation Meeting

PSAC Lethbridge Area is forming a Women's Committee. 

All PSAC sisters are invited, welcome and strongly encouraged to come and join us -  please be sure to pass this message on!! 

There is a lot that a Women's Committee could add to our community, our workplaces and to the Labour movement in Lethbridge and beyond. We have some exciting plans for 2013 and are always looking for more ideas and actions. Please join us!

The meeting will be held Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 6:30pm at the Lethbridge Police Station Community Meeting Room.

 

 

2012 National Day of Remembrance and Action

REVP Letter:

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Each year on December 6, National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, we honour the memory of the 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal who were murdered in 1989 because they were women.

This year, the Conservative government dishonoured the legacy of these women, and the wishes of thousands more like them across the country, when they abolished the long gun registry and erased all of the existing records. In a press release the Conservative’s gloated about destroying the contents, saying the data can never be recovered.

At a time when we are still fighting to eliminate violence against women, the Harper Conservatives put an end to the service established to keep women safe. According to the Canadian Women's Foundation, 50 per cent of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of violence since the age of 16. Additionally, one woman is killed every six days by her intimate partner. The registry was designed to control this violence.

Even without it, however, we can move forward and work together to ensure that women in Canada are safe from violence. To do that, we must change attitudes and behaviours around violence towards women in our society. This includes non-physical violence, which can leave even deeper scars.

December 6 reminds us to do our part, each and every day, to ensure our community and our country is safe for all women and girls. Please see the attached list of December 6 events across the Prairies and participate in the one in your community.

In Solidarity,

Marianne Hladun Regional Executive Vice-President Public Service Alliance of Canada, Prairies Lethbridge Event: Candlelight vigil @ Lethbridge YWCA 7pm on Dec 6

Holiday Giving Project

Many of us from Local 30048 and several other community knitters and crocheters have been busy stitching up holiday gifts to donate to charity. Join us on Monday, December 3 at 6:30 pm at the Round Street Cafe to gather up our gifts.

Education campaign the Minister for Status of Women Canada Rona Ambrose

From Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances (FQPN)

On September 26, at the moment of the Motion 312 vote, we were astonished to notice
that the Minister responsible for the status of women, the Honorable Rona Ambrose, took
position to strike a committee that would have reviewed the fetus legal status in the light
of scientific advances. Without any doubt, this committee would have reopened the
abortion debate (despite the Conservative Party’s promise not to reopen it).

We believe that this stand requires Ms Ambrose to refresh her knowledge on the freedom
of choice issue, and on the importance of universal and free access to abortion for all
women – which is actually advocated by 75% of the Canadian population.

For the next 9 weeks, we invite you to send to the Minister an argument in favour of free
choice. You could formulate your own message, or use our new argument which we will
post every Monday on our website (www.fqpn.qc.ca). Send it by email, letter, Twitter,
Facebook, telephone, or other means. It has been proven that repetition is beneficial for
new learners.

It's a question of solidarity. One should furthermore know that aside from being
mandated to represent and defend the rights of women living in Canada, Rona Ambrose
has a number of other responsibilities, such as Public Works and Governmental Services.
We understand that it is quite difficult to reconcile family and work, and to remain up-todate with her other tasks. Let's support our Minister! Let's educate her! With a bit of
urging, Rona Ambrose will get a passing grade before the holidays. At least we hope so. If
not, we will have to regroup for the winter session.

To send along a pro-choice argument to the Minister for status of Women Canada,
download or copy-paste our weekly model, then you can:

 send her an email: Ambror@parl.gc.ca
 write to her (no stamp required):
    Room 163 East Block
    Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
 phone her office: 1-613-996-9778
 post on her Facebook: http://www.facebook.com1ronaambrose
 Twitter: @MinRonaAmbrose

And do this over the next 9 weeks!

Special note: let us keep track of your initiatives: send us copies of your faxes, your
emails, your letters, and summaries of your phone messages at:

eduquonsambrose@fqpn.qc.ca or by Fax 514-866-1100.

This campaign is a result of a collaboration with
Centre de santé des femmes de Montréal, L’R des centres de femmes du Québec
Fédération des femmes du Québec and Relais-femmes.


Fédération du Québec pour le planning des naissances (FQPN)
110, rue Ste-Thérèse, bureau 405
Montréal (Québec)
H2Y 1E6
(514) 866-3721
info@fqpn.qc.ca

A Woman's Place is in her Union - Workshop Nov. 24 - Calgary

The PSAC Prairie Region is pleased to offer a new union education event:

A Woman's Place is in her Union

During this one-day workshop participants will:

♀  discuss the history of women’s work and the labour movement

♀  celebrate the gains made in our journey towards equality

♀  develop strategies for the work still to be done

♀  make friends, create allies and build solidarity!

The workshop is open to PSAC women in the Prairie region. 

Space is limited so register early!  Preference will be given to 2012 Women at Work course applicants who were not able to participate in the course, and to women active in their Local Women’s committee, Component Women’s Committee, or a PSAC Regional Women’s Committee.

PSAC Calgary RO       

Telephone: (403) 270-6555          Toll-free: 1-800-461-8914

Alberta Federation of Labour Women's Committee Report to PSAC Local 30048

By Sherry Hunt


Item 1:  Commemorative/Fundraiser Brunch:  “Mourn, Remember . . . Live For Change”
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women (Declared in 1991 by the Federal Gov’t and is the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre)
Murrieta’s On Whyte Ave Edmonton, AB
10:30am -1:00pm
2 Speakers:
1) Janice Papin, relative of Georgina Papin (One of the Aboriginal women, R. Picton was convicted of murdering.)
2) PSAC REVP Robyn Benson
Tickets will be $85 split 50/50 between cost of brunch and Charity
Charity:  Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters (ACWS) and will be earmarked to go to Women at Risk, particularly Aboriginal women who suffer violence at much higher rates than others. In the south Pincher Creek has one of these shelters.
Door Prizes are donated by the various Locals and Unions represented.
Seating will be randomly mixed to Facilitate networking.

Item 2: “Project 2012”
-Celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the formation of the AFL ( in Lethbridge!!!) and the Labour movement in Alberta.
-Working with “The Alberta Labour History Institute: (ALHI)
    AFL is planning the release of a book, several pamphlets, Poster series, an oral history of the Alberta Labour movement, several public and museum displays, Maria Dunn Concert tour (she can be booked by individual locals to play events, the tour is already paid for by the AFLProject 2012 funds), etc the list goes on and they are looking for more ideas. The AFL and the ALHI would like to see locals all over Alberta plan their own celebrations of their areas labour history.
    One AFL event will be a huge union “banner and regalia display” at Fort Edmonton on the 16 of June. ALL LOCALS AND UNIONS ARE INVITED AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND (and display their banner at the Fort in the big hall).
    The AFL Women’s Committee will be participating on one of the “Streets” in the fort. In order to do this w e will have to dress in “period costume” for the street we are on.  We will probably be doing the suffragettes movement (this was the suggestion from the President of the AFL Gil McGowan).  All Women’s Committees in the Province are invited to join us. As well, we will be joining in the “Banner Display” with our own AFL Women’s Committee banner.
    We may also create a “booklet” celebrating women in the Union Movement over the past 100 years but more planning must go into this.
    We were all asked to go back to our Locals and to our local women’s committees and ask if/what their plans were for the 2012 celebrations and what various Women’s committees would like to see us do for 2012.

Item 3: 2011-2012 Action Plan
Next meeting we will be establishing our Action Plan for the next two years, we wanted to go back to our locals and various women’s committee’s and ask our sisters what they would like to see us work on. 
So far our plans include: 
-The Dec 4 Brunch.
-The 2012 Celebration.
-Lobby Day (after the next election) 
-AFL school caucuses 
-CUPW EQUINOX in Jasper (retreat for women to be held after the AFL schools, invite extended by our CUPW Edmonton Sisters).

 What else as we move through 2012 and into 2013? Send suggestions to Sherry Hunt (Sherry.Hunt@agr.gc.ca).