Spring 2001

CALLING ALL CAW WOMEN

The CAW National Women's conference will take place in Port Elgin from August 26th to 29th. All CAW women are eligible to attend. The call letter announcing the conference will be sent to Local Unions May 1st. Watch for it and encourage women in your local union and from your bargaining unit to apply. Three days of 250 CAW women strategizing - an event not to be missed!

The following is an excerpt from a poem written by Sherry Graff, CAW Local 2163, following the 2000 conference:

We all came together
To make issues better.
New friendships made,
New ground laid.
Stand tall, Hear the call,
Speak Loud, Be proud.

DISABILITY CAUCUS RECOMMENDATIONS

The disability caucus from last year's women's conference made recommendations for making the Port Elgin Family Education Centre more accessible for the disabled. The CAW acted immediately:

  • the Centre is now equipped with TTY telephones for the hearing impaired;
  • wheelchair accessible shower stalls have been installed in several guestrooms;
  • all rooms designated for the disabled now have a ramp exit to the deck area providing a second exit for guests in wheelchairs;
  • push button doors have been installed at the main entrance of both the administration building and the guest room building.

WORLD WOMEN'S MARCH 2000

Here in Canada thousands of women signed and mailed postcards distributed by the World March Committee to U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan denouncing violence against women. When 35 Turkish and Kurdish activists gathered in front of an Istanbul post office to send their postcards to Kofi Annan they were rounded up by police, forced onto a bus, kicked and beaten and warned not to talk to reporters about the anti violence campaign.

There is still much work to be done.

PARLIAMENT HILL BRONZES

The Famous Five - the group that fought to have women declared persons - have been honoured on Parliament Hill. The bronze, larger-than-life statues of Emily Murphy, Henrietta Edwards, Louise McKinney, Nellie McClung and Irene Pariby were unveiled 71 years after a landmark court ruling allowing Canadian women to sit in the Senate.

NAIL POLISH...HAZARDOUS?

There is growing scientific concern about "dibutyl phthalate" (DBP) a key ingredient found in nail polish. A recent consumer alert in the U.S. noted that scientists are most concerned about women during their reproductive years as studies show that DBP causes severe birth defects in lab animals. Major loopholes in federal law allows cosmetic manufacturers to put unlimited amounts of industrial chemicals like DBP into personal care products with no required testing or monitoring for adverse effects.

Check the labels OR stop using nail polishes all together!

OH...WE CAN DREAM

A law passed last year in France goes farther than any other in the world in attempting to share representation more evenly between men and women. Starting with municipal elections the new law mandates all political parties to field an equal number of male and female candidates. Political parties of all stripes are scrambling. Not only to find women who will run, but to smooth the ruffled feathers of the men who must step aside. 50% - IT SHOULD BE OUR GOAL.

YOU'RE CANADIAN IF. . .
...you find driving is better in winter because the potholes are iced over.

WAL-MART = 1.14 MILLION NEW UNION MEMBERS

Wal-Mart is the largest private employer in the world with 1,140,000 employees. Unfortunately the company is adamantly anti-union. In March it announced it was closing the meat department in 180 U.S. stores after meat cutters at one Texas store voted to form a union (the first successful organizing drive at an American Wal-Mart). The company is also notorious for hiring armies of workers on a part-time basis to avoid paying benefits. Unions need to keep their eye on the ball . . . a ball that could contain up to 1.14 million new members.

HOGWASH

Bill 139 recently passed in Ontario obliges management to disclose and distribute instructions with respect to decertification applications. In introducing the bill the Government claimed that it was facilitating workplace democracy. Funny....Bill 139 will not require employers to inform workers about how they can join a trade union. Democracy.....we think not Mike Harris.

A VISION FOR CHILDCARE

CAW women in Manitoba are pushing the NDP government hard for "improved child care services". They want the number of licensed spaces doubled over the next five years, improved wages for childcare workers and lower fees for parents.

$200 TAX REBATE

The CAW received numerous cards, letters, e-mails and phone calls advising that hundreds of members and activists were turning their $200 tax rebates back to those most in need. Here is an exert from letters received:

"Our tax rebate is being sent to the Grey Bruce Women's Shelter in Owen Sound. The government cuts resulted in the loss of all supportive programs for abused women and their children. When a crisis such as this exists in our community, accepting theses rebate cheques would interfere with our sleep."
Frank & Eileen Marek

"My cheque has been re-directed to OCAP (the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty)" They'll make good use of the money helping those who need help the most."
Steve Watson

"My $200 cheque went to a women's organization in Windsor that helps women build the necessary skills so they can get decent jobs. These organizations have been financially decimated by the Harris government funding cuts."
Colette Hooson

NDP MP SPEAKS OUT

In the House of Commons February 15th, Libby Davies (Vancouver East) - "Mr. Speaker, the situation facing Canadian students is worsening. Rising tuition, increasing debt and NOW PRIVATIZATION are threatening the accessability and affordability of post-secondary education". "Why has the Federal government remained silent in the face of Alberta's decision to allow the first for profit, private, degree granting university? It is an outrage."

Something BAD at the BOTTOM of your DRINK

Coroners statistics show use of a so called "date rape drug" is on the rise. 0 deaths in 1997, 1 death in 1998, and 8 deaths in 1999. The Women's Committee of CAW Local 636 with funding assistance from Locals 88, 2163 and 1859 are involved in an awareness program sending out date rape warnings to all drinking establishments in their area. The message: "Watch your drink - Rape drugs are out there".

The committee also received empty lipstick cartridges from Revlon Canada. Slips of paper outlining safety tips for women in abusive relationships are inserted into the tubes.

FIGHTING BACK MAKES A DIFFERENCE

A Winnipeg woman challenged the Employment Insurance Act and a Federal judge has ruled the Act is unfair to women, many of whom work part time and can't work the 700 hours necessary to qualify for benefits.

This case is just one of dozens challenging the Act. The CAW has one of those many appeals before an umpire.

The greatest scandal is that so many workers don't get their rightful EI benefits while the Federal government has siphoned off an estimated $36 billion for other programs!

PROTECT THE FUTURE

The Health and Safety Department has produced a new booklet entitled Protect the Future - You and Your Baby. Knowing every woman wants to have a pregnancy free of hazards, the CAW developed a bright, colourful booklet that informs on what harm can occur during pregnancy and how women can protect themselves, their fetus and their baby. Copies are available free of charge from the Health and Safety Department at the National Union.

VIOLENCE

In 1995 the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children estimated the cost of violence on our social, health and legal programs was more than $4 billion annually in Canada.

WHAT BRAIN DRAIN YOU ASK???

One of the greatest myths these days is that Americans are "better-off" than Canadians. A majority of recent research by Statistics Canada over the past 3 decades actually shows that...

The majority of Canadians (almost 60%) actually had higher standards of living than Americans in terms of the purchasing power of their after tax income. Only the top 20% of income earners had any advantage in the U.S. Maybe that's why the right wing politicians keep perpetrating the brain drain myth - they represent those 20% top income earners!

STOP the CLAWBACK

Join with the NDP and sign a postcard on line or take a petition into your community or workplace urging the Ontario Tory government to stop clawing back the $100 Federal child tax benefit. Provincial Governments in Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland don't take back the $100 per child given to low income families by the Federal Government. Activists who live in provinces where the provincial government is clawing back the child tax benefit may want to urge the NDP in their province to launch an anti clawback campaign. Copies of the postcard and petition are available from the CAW website www.caw.ca or by contacting the women's department at the national office.

SITES OF INTEREST

http://www.now.org/ - National Organization for Women

www.seen.org/cgapxsm.html - Sustainable Energy and Economy Network

http://www.adventurewomen.com/ - The "grande dame" of women's adventure travel

http://www.womentours.com/ - bicycle tours for women only

http://www.wmm.com/ - A great site containing hundreds of progressive films and videos made by women and about women.

cawpride@caw.ca - A new e-mail address at the National office, to share and discuss lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues.

IT DOESN'T COST TO BELONG

1998 statistics Canada figures prove once again that you are much better off belonging to a union:

  • 77% of union members have time off 'paid' when they're sick;
  • 45% of non union members have paid sick leave.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

The CAW national executive board has adopted a policy on inclusive language. "We need to be using the language of equality if we are going to bring about the reality of equality" said CAW President Buzz Hargrove. "Inclusive language in our collective agreements is our way of sending a message to employers that EQUALITY is on the union agenda". Local unions are urged to look at their collective agreements through a "gender lens" to ensure they do not contain gender specific terms such as the pronoun 'he' when referring to jobs that can be, and are, done by people regardless of gender. The new gender inclusive language policy can be downloaded from the CAW webpage www.caw.ca

BOO to AND 1

AND 1 a new entrant into the sports attire world has launched a new line of T shirts. They carry explicit and often sexist misogynist messages. Some on display at a J.C. Penny store in the U.S. read:

"Your game is still as ugly as your girl"

"I'm two kinds of player, your girl knows them both"

"I'm gonna take 2 things, this game and your girl"

'You'll like this move. So does your girl!"

That this company is promoting misogynist attitudes among young men is appalling, to say the least. Their merchandise is available at more than 2,500 retail locations including Footlocker and Champs.

We should be telling AND 1 that they need to question the message they are sending to today's youth regarding gender. Take a moment to check out their website www.AND1.com and then tell them what you think through the bulletin board section of their site, by mail to 4 Industrial Blvd., Paoli, PA, 19301, or by fax to 610-249-0140.

CONGRATULATIONS TO . .

. . . Sister Julie White on her appointment as Director of the CAW Women's Department. Julie was President of CAW Local 27 in London, Ontario and a member of the CAW National Executive Board. The CAW now represents more than 50,000 women from coast to coast to coast. Julie officially started work at the National Office in Toronto May 1st.

. . . Sister Bonnie Henderson, CAW Local 4451, who was given the Woman of the Year Award by Optimism Place in Stratford, Ontario. The award is given to a woman who contributes to women's issues and the prevention of abuse; a woman who is actively involved with women in her community.

. . . Jenny Ahn, President of CAW Local 40 on her election to the position of Trustee, CAW Council Executive. This election means Jenny will also serve as a member of the National Executive Board.

. . . Sandra Dominato, Chair CAW Local 444 women's committee, on her Woman of the Year award presented at the Council women's caucus meeting by her sisters from Windsor.

. . . CAW Local 240 for adopting at a general membership meeting a "childcare assistance policy". Members from Local 240 who are on approved union business and incur expenses for childcare over and above their normal cost shall be reimbursed up to $5.00 per hour.

Members with children should take this policy to their next local union membership meeting. Let's knock down the barrier of "childcare" for all members with children who may want to get involved in their union.

. . . The women's committee at local 127 for holding a Trivia Night to raise funds for a transition house in Chatham Ontario.

. . . Local 2186 for a very successful drive for Christmas gifts for women and children who spent the holidays in the local women's shelter.