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The United Steelworkers’ Reference Guide for Local, Regional and District Women’s Committees Women of Steel: Building Solidarity Dear Sisters and Brothers: Our commitment to organizing, servicing and working for social and political change is reflected in this step-by-step guide to developing and supporting an active network of local, area, regional and district women’s committees. The United Steelworkers represents workers in a wide variety of workplaces: mines, mills, universities, offices, hotels, hospitals, credit unions, counselling centres, retail stores, nursing homes, travel agencies, forestry and manufacturing environments. As our membership grows and expands into virtually every economic sector, our resources and services must change to meet the diverse needs of our members. Since we adopted strong policies to prevent and challenge workplace harassment and violence against women, developed programs on human rights, pay equity and the Women of Steel Development Course, we have seen an increase in the number of office, health care, social service and female-dominated units joining our union. Sure, these workers join because of the Steelworkers’ record and tradition on a wide range of issues, but our specific attention to issues of equality and fairness sets us apart. But there is always more to do. Everyday, we hear about people experiencing difficulty as they try to balance workplace demands and family responsibilities. While in some workplaces and jurisdictions our struggles and successes can be seen in legislation and strong collective agreement language, in other areas, we have to fight hard for recognition and every provision in a collective agreement. As we continue to experience the impact of a global economy and fight to protect what we have, we must look at new ways of organizing and supporting each other to enhance our solidarity and strength. Establishing a network of local, area, regional and district women’s committees will help to ensure that our union can respond and organize quickly to changes and initiatives that threaten our gains in areas of equality and human rights. This step-by-step guide responds to the need for advice and information on how to set up and organize a women’s committee. It was designed and written by representatives from each of the Canadian Steelworker Districts with assistance from the National Office. We encourage you to use this guide, share it with a sister or brother and together start your own local, area or regional women’s committee. Together we are strong. In solidarity,
Ken Neumann, National Director for Canada
If you are thinking about setting up a women’s committee, looking for new and creative ways of reaching new members, and sharing your experiences and successes, this guide is for you. If you are looking for background information on collective bargaining and public policy issues, this guide is for you. Designed to be easy to use and keep up-to-date, this guide is made up of two sections. Section I: "What’s it all about?" outlines what women’s committees can do; how they are set up; who participates; and what role they can play at all levels in the union. Section II: "Putting together your plan: A calendar of action" highlights some important dates and women’s contributions in the labour movement. You should build on the sample calendar that has been included. This resource guide was produced as a result of sisters’ requests for advice and information on setting up and organizing women’s committees. It is a working document and that should be revised as needed. Please let us know how this guide can be most effective. Suggestions for additions or amendments will help to make this a valuable resource in the future. Your feedback and ideas will help other women’s committees. Please send your comments and suggestions to the National Women’s Committee c/o United Steelworkers National Office, 234 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario M4P 1K7. Good luck!
Women of Steel: Building Power
Contents
According to a report from the international agency UNESCO, women perform two-thirds of the world’s work, head one-third of the world’s households, yet earn only one-tenth of the world’s income, and own less than one per cent of the world’s land property. The clear need to address economic and social inequities faced by women led to the establishment of the first women’s committee in Canada in 1961 by the Ontario Federation of Labour. Nine years later, in 1970, the British Columbia Federation of Labour established its first women’s committee. Close to 60 per cent of Canadian women between 15-60 years old are in the paid labour force today. As these women have entered the workforce the need to address issues which affect them as women has been recognized. The United Steelworkers organized its first women’s committee in 1986 to help achieve dignity, security, and equality. Today, in addition to a National Women’s Committee, each of the Canadian District Directors has established women’s committees to help encourage women’s participation across the union. At the Steelworker 32nd Constitutional Convention held in Las Vegas April 11-14, 2005, delegates to the Convention voted unanimously to amend the Constitution as follows: Article VII, Section 13, line 21: "To further our commitment to encourage activism, leadership development and greater understanding of gender issues in our Local Unions with female membership, a Women’s Committee, under the direction of the International Union or its designated representative, shall be established by such Local Unions." This guide is designed to help you and your local set up a successful committee. The importance of women’s committees to unions Simply put: unions need women and women need unions. The United Steelworkers is a stronger union when our policies and collective agreements reflect the needs of our brothers and sisters. Women’s committees help to build solidarity and mutual respect among our membership and potential membership. Providing support to women organizers, officers of the union, stewards, executive members and negotiating team members, is an essential part of any women’s committee mandate. Building solidarity and a strong union – that’s what’s Steelworker women’s committees are all about. Why should we treat women differently? In many of our workplaces: mines, factories and offices, women are in a minority. The work environment – from the physical layout of the office or plant, to the behaviour of management and the traditional "shop talk" – create barriers to women’s employment and training. In the retail and service sectors, where work is traditionally undervalued and underpaid, and hours of work vary tremendously, women struggle to organize and fight for job security and decent wages. In virtually every sector across Canada, women continue to face workplace harassment and discrimination. Unionized women fare better; unionized women working together fare much better. Given the opportunity and security, women will share their stores and experiences and work together to identify strategies for change that benefit all workers. Whether it is working toward workplace and union events free from harassment, scheduling union meetings and events that do not conflict with family responsibilities, or bargaining pay equity, we have all gained from the work of women and women’s committees. Do women’s committees help men understand women’s issues? Absolutely. One of the key elements in effecting change is communication. Through communication, we educate and help to change attitudes and behaviour. With the understanding and support of men, we can be much more effective in securing changes inside and outside of our workplaces and communities: through collective agreements, policies, practices and legislation. Since offering the Women of Steel course and establishing women’s committees in the districts, we have seen a considerable increase in women’s participation at all levels of the Union. The input and perspective has helped to shape the agenda and content of our education programs, conferences and policies. Providing information and opportunities to discuss and meet the needs of our diverse membership in turn helps us to reach out of the unorganized and ensure we can indeed be: Everybody’s Union.
Getting to Work On June 25, 1993, 136 employees of the Hudson’s Bay story in Kamloops, British Columbia joined the Steelworkers. After seven fruitless months of negotiations, it was obvious the parties could not reach an agreement. In June 1994, 97 per cent of the members voted to strike. In August, workers launched a series of rotating job actions, including refusing to answer phones and replacing the Bay’s conservative dress code with blue jeans and Steelworker T-shirts. Workers went on strike on September 25, 1994. The Bay tried to keep the store open, believing shoppers would cross the picket line. Eventually, the store was forced to close in October. The Bay began to move out merchandise, prompting rumours that it was shutting down for good because of the workers’ demands. In February 1995, with no end in sight, the strikers expanded their campaign against the Bay. Besides asking shoppers not to shop at any non-union Bay store in B.C., they asked customers to cut up their Bay cars. The strikers took their message on the road, touring the province in a motor home, handing out leaflets, making their point in a non-violent, non-threatening, but effective way. A provincial mediator delivered a series of non-binding recommendations to the union and the Bay in mid-May 1995. The Mediator’s report recommended that the workers get almost everything they had been fighting for. Not surprisingly, the Steelworkers voted 97 per cent in favour of acceptance, but the Bay killed the deal. The strikers’ next step was to apply for binding arbitration, which allows newly-unionized workers to obtain a first contract. In June 1995, the Bay was ordered to re-open its doors and let the strikers back to work. After nine months on the picket line, the workers were close to winning their first contract! In August 1995, the contact was awarded; it contained the earlier recommendations for settlement, including language to protect employees against sexual and racial harassment, strong seniority rights, wage increases, and improved holiday benefits. The deal was a major victory for the strikers, most of whom were women with no previous union experience. The strike wasn’t about money – it was a struggle for dignity and respect. What Can You Do? The more we talk about our union, its policies and the type of protection we can negotiate in our collective agreements, the more other people will talk about us! Volunteer some time to help the union’s organizing outreach.
Special interest group committees Even before the 2005 amendment to the union’s Constitution, many locals had set up women’s committees in addition to other permanent (standing) or temporary (ad hoc) committees. How often these committees meet will depend on the level of interest and the tasks set out by the members. Whatever the committee, the members are accountable to the local union executive, the constitution and by-laws, and should report frequently to general meetings, again helping to communicate, educate and build solidarity. Everyone is experiencing an increase in work and family demands. There is no point in dreaming up an ambitious plan or calendar of events if there is no one to help organize and implement it. Set priorities. If you set realistic goals and achieve those goals, the confidence sisters and brothers have in the committee and its purpose will grow. If holding meetings is difficult because of the shifts people work and their responsibilities outside of the workplace, find alternative ways of communicating and planning events. Meet over lunch hours or on breaks, hold monthly support meeting, use the telephone or jump on the information highway. Learn how to use computers and computer networks and bulletin board systems to send messages and electronic mail. Schedule meetings that are as accessible as you can make them. A safe location is a priority, as is a convenient time. The provision of child care could mean a much larger turnout at the meeting. Make the meetings interesting and, dare we say it, fun! The more relevant, interesting and enjoyable the work, the more volunteers you will have to help organize future events. If attendance at meetings is declining or interest is fading, ask why and review your goals and objectives. No one has time to go to another meeting simply for the sake of going to a meeting. People need to feel useful and see results. Include a working part to your meetings as well as an educational component so members will see immediately how they can have input and be of assistance. Finally, show your appreciation for each other. Say thank you and congratulate each other on your achievements. Celebrate your successes! Reasons for setting up a women’s committee There are many reasons for establishing a women’s committee. Committees offer a way for women to raise issues, press for change and get their issues onto the convention floor and negotiating table. One of the first tasks of a committee should be to reach consensus on some short and long term objectives. From these, you can develop a plan and set realistic goals. A women’s committee can:
Steps To Setting Up A Women’s Committee Step one: Is the Local on-side? The Local has voted to have the committee. The Executive has approached a woman to be responsible for the committee (the chairperson). Step two: What’s our mission? Build a network of women in the local and/or region. Provide the bargaining committee support on women’s issues. Build women’s power in the union. Reach out and work with other women’s committees/groups. Educate, communicate and mobilize. Sample mission statement: "The Local Women's Committee will work in solidarity with sisters and brothers to raise awareness of women's issues; increase the involvement and participation of women in the Union; support organizing and outreach efforts in the community; and support the Union's campaigns for equality and progressive political change."
Step three: Who participates? Locals with a significant number of women should have a women’s committee. Explore working with other local women’s committees to create a regional committee. Find out who the women are in your Local(s)/Region. (numbers, jobs, age, race etc.) Step four: How do we do it? (The nuts and bolts) Decide when and where to meet, and set the first agenda. Decide on a meeting process that allows everyone to participate. Find your allies in the union. Know where to find the resources you will need. Decide how you will make yourselves visible. Divide up the responsibilities on the committee. Step five: What’s the plan (what will you do?) Consider the following when you put your plan together:
Step six: Is it working? From time to time evaluate how your committee is doing. (For example, are you getting any new women involved in your activities?) Decide what you can do differently to build a stronger committee.
List three good reasons why someone should join your women’s committee:
Who are you going to speak with about encouraging participation on the committee (e.g., local union executive, unit chairperson, union committee members, women in your local, women activists in the community, your staff representative)?
List three good questions or arguments you may face when trying to get started:
Your answers to the questions or arguments:
In addition to setting up a women’s committee in your local, you may want to work with women from other locals to set up a regional committee or sub-committee of your area council. Should men sit on a women’s committee? One of the key tasks of a women’s committee is to look at how it will work with the other local committees to provide and receive support. Some local women’s committees have set up sub-committees to look at specific issues of concern. In these cases, men may be asked to join the sub-committees to help identify solutions to problems that will benefit all members. Women’s committees should be reflective of our diverse membership: geographically, by economic sector, and inclusive of visible minority women, women with disabilities and aboriginal women. Women face many different barriers to their participation in the workplace and in the union. The committee should be sensitive to the various needs of potential members. Women’s committees can help set an example of how inclusive union structures can be when steps are taken to break down barriers to those who have been traditionally disadvantaged in the workplace, the union and in the community. Elect or ask for a volunteer to act as the chairperson of your women’s committee. This person should preside over meetings, keep order and make sure the agenda is followed. If shift work prevents a chairperson from presiding at every committee meeting, rotate the responsibility, or elect co-chairs. This will also give others the chance to learn how to conduct a meeting. Since the committee is accountable to all members, elect a recording secretary or ask for a volunteer to take minutes of the meeting. Record any motions passed and actions to be taken. Pass on information to other committees and the local union executive. Delegate tasks to committee members. Ask for volunteers to, for example, invite a guest speaker to your next meeting, contact the area education co-ordinator about training needs, post notice of meeting, or put together a contact list of community resource people for the committee. All members should take responsibility for keeping in touch with other women members in the workplace, talking to them about current issues and concerns, reviewing the collective agreement and in turn, planning and organizing for change that will benefit all members.
Usually, each committee of a local will propose a budget for the year. The budgets are submitted to the local’s executive for consideration. A women’s committee, when developing a plan or calendar, should consider establishing a budget and guidelines for expenditures. While the costs of attending conferences or schools will be determined and covered by the local union, area council, district, national or international union, a committee may want to consider how they will cover the costs of their activities: meeting room rentals, child care, refreshments, transportation where necessary, publications, etc. Like all union committees, everyone must understand that not all their work on the committee can be paid. The committee will have to rely on its members to volunteer their time when it is outside their work day. Once a committee is established, spend some time brainstorming how you want to raise funds and for what. For example:
Before you even call your first meeting, find out when and where is the most convenient for women to meet. For example, is the best time after work, on break, on weekends, or by conference call? Is the best place to meet at work, the union office or at a community centre or school?
Local unions, and individual units within an amalgamated local, are the foundation of the United Steelworkers. Established through a charter issued by the international union, local unions are administered by their own officers elected by the membership every three years. When developing a women’s committee in your local union or area council, it is helpful to understand the structure of the union. This will enable the committee to direct questions, suggestions, and requests to the appropriate person or place for immediate attention. If you are unsure of who or where to turn to, your local union executive (or area council) and your staff representative will be able to help. Within each level of the union there are many committees. Each committee develops goals and strategies. There are a number of committees at the local level required by the union’s constitution: Grievance, Safety and Health, Workers’ Compensation, Civil Rights/Human Rights, Organizing, and Women’s. There are also a number of committees specific to local unions like an Education Committee, a Pay Equity Committee, an Entertainment Committee, a Building Committee, a Trades Committee, and a Labour Management Committee. The United Steelworkers holds conventions to develop policies, strategies, agendas and resolutions around labour, national and community issues: the International Constitutional Convention; the Canadian Policy Conference; and the District Conferences. Delegates to these policy-making conventions are elected by the local union membership. Women’s committees can help draft resolutions for local unions and encourage women to run as delegates to speak to resolutions and participate in conference workshops. The United Steelworkers is a stronger union when our policies and collective agreements reflect the needs of our brothers and sisters. District 3 holds a conference every even year. This conference provides a prime location to tap into and/or to develop networks on particular issues or concerns; it allows for communication and recreates a sense of solidarity. It is also where the district component of the USW determines and sets the directives and actions that all of us are subject to. Because we are a democratic union, directions and actions are debated on at this conference.
The District 3 Conference is an informative union event as well as a very useful tool for all local union activists:
The list goes on.
Local unions may send as many delegates as they would like (within their financial capabilities) to District conferences. The local makes this decision at the General Membership Meeting so make sure you are there for the discussion, decision making, nominations and voting. You may nominate yourself to attend the conference. It is portent to have support at the meeting; brothers and sisters may speak in favour of your nomination – they will also provide votes for you. Be prepared to explain why your local would benefit from sending you as a delegate to the conference. Written by the Sisters from District 3 Women’s Committee (1996).
The United Steelworkers is the most democratic union because Local Officers (President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Guard, Guides and Trustees) and the Grievance Committee are elected by local union members every three years; and International Officers, the Canadian Director and District Directors are elected by direct vote of members every four years. In our union, democracy means officers at every level are responsible to the membership. Women’s committees help ensure resources and support are available to women who are interested in seeking an elected position. "Step-by-Step to Elected Office: A Steelworker Affirmative Action Guide to Local Union Elections" provides activists with descriptions of each elected position and tips on how to run a successful campaign. Copies of the Guide are available from your staff representative or the national office. The United Steelworkers has a wide variety of resource materials available upon request. These resources are also applicable across the country. Among the materials are the union’s constitution, local by-laws, convention proceedings and resolutions, step-by-step guide to local union elections, and local union election manuals. The constitution of the international union outlines the objectives, the offices and the structure of the union. It describes who is eligible to run for office, how long one can hold an office, and what duties and responsibilities the offices hold. The constitution manual explains discipline, finances, strikes, contracts, and amendments. Amendments to the constitution can be made at international constitutional conventions with a majority vote. By-laws for local unions outline the objectives of the union, the structure of the local union (including the offices and their respective duties), meetings, membership, discipline, finances, delegates to conventions, committees, strikes, order of business, how to fill vacancies as well as provide a supplementary on governing amalgamated local unions. Amendments to the local union by-laws may be adopted after they have been read out at two consecutive local union meetings and then by receiving a 2/3 vote at the next meeting (subject to approval of the international executive). If your local union or area council does not have these materials, contact your staff representative for copies.
A list of resource people and emergency contacts will help you and the committee research issues and help members in times of crisis. Ask the committee to brainstorm who should be on the list. Divide up the list between members to identify the people and contact numbers. Not only will you have a good resource list but all the people on the list will know that you have a women’s committee. This is the start of working together for a stronger union and a stronger and healthier community.
You will find the Women of Steel section of our website under the heading "Who We Are". This Steel section has always been an integral part of the Steelworkers Canadian web site and provides a variety of useful tools and information for our women members. Most documents are available in two formats: one is quick to view the other "pdf" version intended for you to print out and distribute. Combating harassment Here you can view and print the well-known and highly-regarded Yellow Sheet – the Steelworkers’ anti-harassment policy. This policy is read out before all Steelworker events from local union meetings to policy conferences to ensure that all Steelworker gatherings are free of any kind of harassment. Use the Steelworkers’ Guide to Preventing and Dealing with Harassment to identify, prevent and combat harassment in the workplace and in the union hall. This guide examines the different kinds of harassment: racial, sexual, sexual orientation or disability. The guide includes tips for union activists and a checklist for workplace policies and procedures. The new 2005 edition of A Steelworker Guide to Negotiating the Balance of Work-Life Responsibilities includes information on gay, lesbian and transgendered rights, compassionate care leave provisions, child care and more. Get Involved, Speak Out in the Legislature Get Involved, Speak Out in Your Local Union The Members Only section of the site also has examples of progressive collective agreement language and an educational course calendar. Sign Up for WIN Visit your District’s section of the website and sign up to WIN. Those who join WIN will get periodic information on upcoming women’s conferences, lobby efforts that pertain specifically to women’s issues, and initiatives in your District that relate to women. Check out your District’s website for additional Women of Steel information. We want to know what you think Please send us an e-mail to let us know what we can do to help you become more active in your union. We welcome any comments on how to make our website more effective. E-mail address: info@steelworkers.ca SOAR: the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, is a terrific resource for members looking for advice, guidance and inspiration from women and men of Steel who have faced similar struggles and appreciate the opportunity to share their stories and experiences. And, members are active and interested in helping you! What Can You Do? With the help of your staff representative, contact active retirees to join your committee, speak on a specific issue or help you in a particular campaign. Many women workers are concerned about planning for their retirement. Members of SOAR can help people plan and prepare as well as provide a network of support. SOAR members may also be willing to help your committee reach out and provide support to people who are temporarily disabled or away from work because of personal or family responsibilities.
There are many issues facing our members today, and many people with expertise to share. Find out what the needs of the members are, and identify possible guest speakers or videos to show at future meetings.
Note: Before inviting someone to speak to your group, spend some time with the person to let them know a little bit about your committee and its background. This will also provide you with an opportunity to get to know the speaker and discuss how they might approach the issue and lead a discussion. If you plan to show a video, make sure you see it first. Some videos, particularly on issues of violence and harassment can be quite disturbing and difficult to watch. You may need to prepare the committee for what they will see and take particular care to have a full discussion after the film. You may want to invite a community resource person or harassment counselor to facilitate a discussion afterwards. Ask your committee to brainstorm issues they may want to learn more about and discuss. For example: Women’s health and safety issues:
A women’s committee can encourage women to seek further educational opportunities and help to ensure union programs and courses are accessible to women. Women can do more than just attend courses, they can also teach them! You may want to survey members about their needs and where and when courses and workshops are best held. The union provides many courses. For example: Women of Steel: Building Local Union Power for Women’s Committees; the Women of Steel Leadership Development Course; Preventing and Dealing with Conflict; Steelworker Stewards in Action; Health and Safety courses; and courses in collective bargaining and arbitration. For help in setting up courses, please contact your local union executive, area council education committee, or staff representative. The Steelworkers Education Program Education of Steelworker members is one of the union’s top priorities. Providing members with the tools and knowledge to be stronger advocates makes the union stronger. The more people trained and active, the better we are at servicing the needs of our members, reaching out to the unorganized and working for long term political change to benefit our families and communities. All Steelworker courses are developed by the union’s Education Department and local union members with knowledge and experience in the specific activity covered by the course. Instructors themselves are Steelworkers, chosen for their expertise and educational skills. All courses depend on the full participation of the members. Small group exercises, role plays, brainstorming, and problem-solving help members to discuss and apply what they learn. Courses can be brought to you, or you can be brought to the courses. To bring a course to the local or area council, make a request for the course through your local or area council, or through your staff representative. Ask if there is a calendar of courses being offered for the year. If the course you would like is not on the calendar, speak with your staff representative or area council education committee about how to add a course to the calendar. There are two ways of getting to a course outside of your area: (1) being sent by your local union or area council; or (2) obtaining a scholarship. Either way, the cost of attending does not come out of your own pocket. All costs are covered (course fee, traveling, accommodation, per diems, and lost wages). Scholarships are distributed by the district office to the staff representatives for distribution to the local unions. Courses are updated and new courses are developed as necessary. Courses may be a few hours or a full five days. The Canadian Labour Congress and your local labour council also offer courses. For more information contact your staff representative.
Women’s committees are often the best source of encouragement for women who are looking for a chance to gain skills and confidence. Following the Constitutional change in 2005, the Union developed a two-day course for locals setting up women’s committees. In addition, the union offers the Women of Steel Leadership Development Course. The Women of Steel course is offered across the union for women who are interested in becoming more active in the union. Many sisters who have taken the Women of Steel course have become leaders in their local unions and in the districts. In turn, these sisters have helped to change other courses so that examples and techniques are accessible to women and the growing diversity of the membership. Getting involved in your area council or regional education committee will help to ensure courses are offered that are of interest and meet the needs of women members. Sometimes when we survey education needs of women, we hear about how they want more training at work to do their job and improve their skills to be able to post for better jobs. Help the sister contact other union activists in the workplace and the staff representative to look at how training needs in the workplace are met. Helping to meet the sister’s needs will help her to understand the union’s role and, in turn, may help to get her involved in building a stronger union inside and outside of the workplace. What Can You Do?
You aren’t alone. Are you concerned about the effects work might be having on your health? Some examples of workplace health problems include:
Find out how many days of work have been lost due to illness and how many lost time accidents have been reported in the past year in your workplace. To get others talking about their health, create a survey for women to use in their workplaces. Discuss women’s health issues at your next meeting. Ask your unit or local to do a workplace health and safety audit, paying particular attention to the design of the workplace and the job to see how the work can be modified to reduce identified accident and health risks for women.
It is very difficult to define stress. Sexual harassment, violence, discrimination, lack of pay equity, job and family responsibility demands, lack of child care and its high costs, care for elderly, sick or disabled relatives, the design of the job (ergonomics), electronic monitoring and too much supervision, job insecurity and fear of lay-offs and unemployment, all contribute to stress. What Can You Do?
What Are You Going to Do? Women’s Committees can play a key role in supporting the bargaining process. From surveying women’s needs to helping negotiating committees better understand the impact of workplace changes and collective agreements on women, your committee’s involvement in bargaining can make an enormous difference. Winning a provision in a collective agreement does not just happen at the bargaining table. Committees can help design campaigns and resource materials to bring an added focus to a demand that may be seen as "new" or outside of the norm for the sector. The District 3 Women’s Committee has helped to identify collective agreement language on human rights and health and safety issues that address women’s issues. Local Women’s Committees have helped to develop support campaigns for negotiating committees raising child care and work-life issues in bargaining. Keep track of the kind of grievances and complaints raised by your committee. Work with other Local committees to design a strategy to address the issues at the bargaining table, where necessary. Many issues may be addressed in between negotiations of the agreement by staying active and in-touch with other workplace and local committees. In this way, you can think of bargaining as a continuous process. Contact your staff representative or area office for copies of Steelworker policies, guides and sample collective agreement language on, for example:
Sample collective agreement language can also be found on the Steelworkers Members Only section of the website. Contact the website administrator at the Steelworkers (info@steelworkers.ca) for information on how to get access.
The future of our union depends on our ability to attract and encourage new members, in new and old industries. We need to find ways of connecting with workers in new industries and non-unionized workplaces. We need to spread the word. The advantages of being part of a union are clear: full-time work; better wages and benefits; fair working conditions; and access to a grievance and arbitration procedure. Reach out to non-unionized women; help them organize and continue to build a stronger union! Getting to Work The majority of women work in unorganized industries and services across our economy. Workplaces are often small, wages are low and working conditions are poor. Working together with other volunteer organizers, Steelworker women are often best able to reach these unorganized women to talk about the benefits of joining a union and negotiating a collective agreement. Women activists and organizers provide important role models to new and potential members as they develop leadership skills, self-esteem and confidence in the union. What Can You Do?
What Are You Going to Do?
Share your successes! Call or write (or e-mail info@steelworkers.ca) the National Women’s Committee c/o United Steelworkers, 234 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 800, Toronto ON M4P 1K7 416.487.1571.
The United Steelworkers has a strong history of fighting for political, economic and social equality for all people in Canada. Struggles at the local level for strong collective agreement provisions are often the first step toward changing labour laws and regulations to benefit all workers. The following is a step-by-step guide to help you lobby for change. Talk to your members. If, for example, there has been a change in the design of the workplace, ask how that change is affecting them. Has the change made their job better? Has it helped them to work better with their co-workers or has it increased competition between workers and led to problems of harassment and discrimination? If there is a problem or issue to be addressed, research and define the problem with your members. Build alliances and partners in your work for change. You might be surprised as you talk about the issue how many people will support you and work with you. Work with them to further define the issue and identify possible solution or strategies for change. You will be much more successful if those involved take part in bringing about change. Propose change Many of our laws on health and safety and human rights issues reflect the struggles and gains made through collective bargaining. Review your collective agreement for provisions that help improve wages and working conditions for women and all workers. If your collective agreement does not have a provision to prevent and deal with incidents of harassment, you might want to talk to other members in your workplace and together propose contract language to your negotiating committee and membership. Provide background information and demonstrate why your issue is important not just for you but for all members and future members of your local. Identify support and make sure you maintain the focus and attention on your issues. You don’t have to nag but let your negotiating committee know you are willing to back them up if negotiations get difficult. If you have never had a woman on the negotiating committee, your experience in lobbying for change will encourage other women to take a more active role in future negotiations.
Meetings and the conduct of local union officers are set out in the by-laws for local unions. Often, local unions will amend by-laws and procedures to meet specific needs of their membership. For example, meetings held at 7 pm may be impossible for people to attend if they have child or elder care responsibilities. You can propose changing meeting times and the location to be more accessible. Survey the needs of workers, draft a proposal or resolution and together, with your supporters, present your recommendation for change to your local union membership. The following resolution was drafted by Local 9288 to ensure the local union executive would reflect the membership. The resolution, passed by 2/3 of the members at the regular Local Union meeting, amended their by-laws. WHEREAS, there is a need and a desire for affirmative action at the executive level; and WHEREAS, the constitution of the workplace is approximately 50% women. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the United Steelworkers Local 9288 adopt a policy ensured that at all times either the president or the vice present of the local will be a woman. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the above policy become a By-Law of Local Union 9288.
Every several years, the United Steelworkers holds an international constitutional convention. In between, there is a Canadian national policy conference to focus on current union and workplace issues and to develop strategies on how to respond to these issues. Local unions submit resolutions that are debated at these conferences and, if adopted, become union policies.
In November 1995, at the Canadian Policy Conference in Vancouver, the union passed the following composite resolution on harassment: WHEREAS, the United Steelworkers has strong policies on dealing with and combating all forms of harassment and discrimination; and WHEREAS, the growing diversity of the members we represent requires that our Union take new steps to ensure harassment-free workplaces and internal activities. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the next phase of our Union’s anti-harassment initiatives include the following: That our Union examines the feasibility of training workp |
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