Everybody wins – 4 easy steps for upping equity on the job and in the union

By Wendy Lee, Local 575, inSolidarity Committee

Every year during Convention, the chair of each OPSEU/SEFPO Equity Committee and Caucus provides updates and encourages all members to keep equity at the heart of every thing they do.

As  the chairs put it, equity is more than a moral obligation — it increases workplace productivity, innovation and creativity by fostering respect and resilience,

Together, the chairs offered members four ways to improve equity and improve their workplaces:

1. Attend community events – this helps show support, engage and bring awareness to concerns and issues faced by our equity communities and members. We need to encourage members to also attend OPSEU sponsored events.  We need to show up speak out and bring others with us .
2. Join and attend your local Area Council meetings – Don’t forget that your local can resubmit Area Council dues for partial reimbursement from OPSEU/SEFPO Head Office.
3. Succession planning – We need to mentor, train and empower those that are to come after each of us to ensure that there is knowledge and being shared. It’s not just about today, it’s about tomorrow.
4. Document and share – there are various avenues to share such as submissions of articles to InSol, various social media platforms, and numerous other media.

OPSEU/SEFPO Equity Unit

The Equity Unit provides advice, research and support in the following key areas:

1. For provincial and regional committees and caucuses on issues related to women, people with disabilities, workers of colour, Aboriginal workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, intersex, asexual, queer, questioning and two spirited (LGBTTIAQQ2S) workers, francophones and young workers.
2. In collaboration with OPSEU/SEFPO’s Equity Committees and Caucuses and the Member Education Unit, the Equity Unit also plans equity-themed conferences over the course of the calendar year.
3. To members in relation to member to member harassment and discrimination complaints.
4. To members and staff in relation to human rights and equity issues at the local level.