OPSEU Social Mapping Achievements

March 21, 2014

A Brief History of the Social Mapping Project (SMP)

2008 – Convention Resolution passed 2009 – Census of the membership (Phase I) 2010 – First Membership Systems Review [Elections and Education] (Phase II) 2011 – Second Membership Systems Review [Bargaining, Communications, Organizing] (Phase III) 2011 – The SMP Implementation Task Force was established. The Task Force reports regularly to Convention.

Overview of SMP Achievements since Convention 2014

The Task Force prioritized and actioned more than 50 recommendations since September 2014. More than one third of the recommendations reviewed involved taking action on Phase III recommendations that related to Communications, Organizing and Bargaining. In 2015, the Social Mapping Task Force has been focusing its efforts on identifying new and innovative strategies for embedding equity in the work of OPSEU such as the development of equity tools, orientation material, fact sheets and organizing strategies for engaging new members and developing the leadership potential of equity representatives.

Changing Policies and Practices

Equity committees and caucuses are creating fact sheets of particular issues relevant to them. They have designed and piloted orientation sessions for new committee members to continue to educate members about how OPSEU works. They have also designed brochures and other orientation materials to distribute at internal and external OPSEU events.
A continuing review of accessibility issues is being undertaken by the Disability Rights Caucus.
In collaboration with the OPSEU Organizing Department, Equity committees and caucuses have developed innovative strategies in order to attract new workers.
The Equity Unit is developing new equity tools for use by staff and members including “Bargaining for Equity”; “How to Map Your Local” and other union and workplace audit tools. The Unit is also developing a Regional contact list of equity representatives for publication on the OPSEU web-site and for distribution within the regions.
The Equity and the Training and Development Units will be developing an orientation session for a joint meeting of equity committees and caucuses in early 2016.
Task Force members will be doing research on gender parity and designated equity seats.

New Approved Board Motions

The Executive Board passed a motion that the “Mapping Your Local” tool would be expanded to include the demographics of the Local Executive Committees and the data would be forwarded to the Equity Unit. The Executive Board has affirmed that two seats—one reserved for a woman of colour and the other for an Aboriginal woman—will be designated for delegates to the CLC Women’s school.

What’s Next for Social Mapping?

The Task Force will continue to work through the remaining recommendations of Phases II and III. Members of the Social Mapping Task force are developing motions on the following four issues for the Executive Board to consider:

the creation of Local equity committees and Local equity officers;
sending additional delegates to conferences and regional meetings to ensure better representation of the demographic composition of a region;
access to communication and information about OPSEU and its services for remote Northern communities where language may be a barrier and where types of communication tools may be limited; and
better access to Train the Trainer courses for members from equity groups.

Ways to measure success, perhaps through another form of census, will be explored and pursued as appropriate.

SMP Implementation Task Force:

Jeff Arbus (Executive Board); Deb Tungatt (Executive Board); Krista Maracle (Aboriginal Circle); Pauline Richardson (Aboriginal Circle); Cindy Hayes (DRC); Helen Riehl (DRC); Richard Belleau (PFC); Andre Savoie (PFC); Owen Smith (PHRC); Haran Thurairasah (PHRC); Christine Tremblay/Angela Bick Rossley (PWC); Shauna Weston (PWC); Adam Ly (PYC); Sean Iovacchini (RA); Morgen Veres (RA); Elizabeth Ha (WOCC); Peter Thompson (WOCC); Fran Borsellino (Local Services); Catherine Bowman (Equity Unit), Geraldine Ryan (Education and Training); Libby Zeleke (Staff Lead).

SMP 2015 Poster

Download our newest social mapping poster:

2015-04-smp-poster-e.pdf

Social Mapping Videos

Social Mapping Video 2013 The social mapping project: laying the foundation for OPSEU’s strength and growth. {“fid”:”26005″,”view_mode”:”default”,”fields”:{“format”:”default”,”filename_field[en][0][value]”:”Video 2013″},”type”:”media”,”attributes”:{“alt”:”TGRF_d7ZXLU”,”class”:”file media-element file-default”}}Social Mapping Video 2012 This video is a call to action for OPSEU members, inspiring them to come forward as defenders of equity issues in their lives, their communities and their union. {“fid”:”26006″,”view_mode”:”youtube”,”fields”:{“format”:”youtube”,”filename_field[en][0][value]”:”Video 2012″},”type”:”media”,”link_text”:”VXEXfqskCWk”,”attributes”:{“class”:”file media-element file-youtube”}}