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Human Rights

CLC Anti-racism Task Force

PUBLIC SERVICE ALLIANCE OF CANADA ACHIEVEMENTS

In late 1997, the CLC released its Anti-racism Task Force report, which had been over two years in the making and drew upon submissions from racially visible and Aboriginal unionists across Canada. The report made a series of recommendations for labour movement action to combat racism. Many of these actions are applicable to the Alliance and this document outlines the status of our union in achieving those objectives set by this report. The document is intended to provide the basis for on-going discussion in our union as to where we are, where we want to be and how we intend to get there. Our union is committed to continuing our anti-racism work.


CLC Anti-racism Task Force Report Recommendations


PSAC Achievements in Implementing These Recommendations


RACISM AND UNIONS

Internal Structural Change

1. The CLC, affiliates, federations of labour and labour councils adopt internal anti­racism action plans which include guidelines on:

  • recruitment
  • hiring practices and goals for contract positions
  • permanent and full­time positions
  • anti­racism education
  • anti­racism research
  • organizing plans
  • collective bargaining strategy
  • servicing strategy
  • a monitoring mechanism





Various initiatives, detailed in following sections, are already underway to address this resolution, including:
  • The PSAC has an internal Employment Equity Plan that addresses issues of recruitment and hiring practices for term and full­time positions, among other practices and policies.
  • The PSAC has a policy on Aboriginal Workers and an anti-racism policy for the PSAC is under development. Both have been developed by Aboriginal and racially visible members.
  • PSAC has an in-residence course on human rights that addresses racism.
  • The issue of racism is integrated in all PSAC courses.
  • There is mandated representation of racially visible and Aboriginal members on collective bargaining conferences/committees/teams.

2. The CLC provide funding and resources for the establishment of a national anti­racism and human rights department that has its own budget and is fully staffed by aboriginal workers and workers of colour. The department's mandate will include policy development, program implementation and assistance to affiliates, federations of labour, labour councils and local unions on anti-racism and human rights work.
While this recommendation pertains to the CLC, we can report that the PSAC currently has a Human Rights Officer position that addresses human rights issues, including racism. This position was staffed for a short period on a term basis by an Aboriginal member.

3. Affiliates and federations of labour provide funding for the establishment of departments that have their own budgets and are fully staffed by aboriginal workers and workers of colour. The departments' mandate will include policy development, program implementation and assistance to local unions and labour councils on anti-racism and human rights work.

Of anti­racism and human rights


Through the Internal Employment Equity Plan, Aboriginal and racially visible employees are being hired in a variety of union departments and regions. Objectives of PSAC equity work include ensuring that equity issues are integrated throughout our union work and that racially visible and Aboriginal members have a strong political voice. The PSAC currently has a Human Rights Officer position that addresses human rights issues, including racism.

4. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour ensure the representation of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour at all levels of staff positions, and in all areas of union work such as: anti­racism, organizing, research, education, administration, executive, servicing, women's equality, policy development, international solidarity and human rights.
The PSAC has an internal Employment Equity Plan that addresses issues of recruitment and hiring practices for term and full­time positions, among other practices and policies. This plan was jointly developed with our staff union and signed off in February 1995. Where a gap between representation and availability has been identified in a particular occupational group, all positions to be staffed must go through an "equity filter" to determine if they should be designated for equity group members. We have identified under­representation for racially visible and Aboriginal members, as well as for women in certain occupational groups. Between January 1996 and October 1997 approximately 25% of all staffing actions that were initiated were identified as designated or preferential hiring for the above groups. A number of these staffing actions are still in the staffing process. Objectives of PSAC equity work in general include ensuring that equity issues are integrated throughout our union work and that racially visible and Aboriginal members have a strong political voice.

Internal Union Democracy

1. As a major component of their internal anti-racism action plans, the CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour, labour councils and local unions identify and eliminate existing systemic barriers which prevent the full participation of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour in the labour movement.


The PSAC facilitates the organization of Visible Minority/Racially Visible Action Committees and an Aboriginal network. These members are consulted on a variety of issues that affect them both as members of these groups and, more generally, as union members. In 1996, the first PSAC Unity Conference, organized by and for Aboriginal and racially visible members, was held. It provided a forum to identify issues and develop strategies. The internal Employment Equity Plan work has also played a role in identifying barriers within the union structure. As well, the National Equal Opportunities Committee, a standing committee of the National Board of Directors, includes representation from racially visible and Aboriginal members.

2. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour, labour councils and local unions adopt comprehensive strategies to ensure the participation of aboriginal members and members of colour at all steps of the collective bargaining process, including: contract negotiations, bargaining conferences, contract language development, work stoppages and media communications strategies.
Regulation 15 of the PSAC Constitution governs the process of collective bargaining in the Alliance. It states that delegates to regional bargaining conferences must include representatives from each equity group who are specifically representing the concerns of that group (as opposed to another union body). National bargaining committees and teams are selected by the conferences and the Alliance Executive Committee can add up to five members (equity, if not represented). As well, equity group members are exempted from the requirement that they hold office in the union to be elected to a National Bargaining Committee or Negoitiating Team.

3. The CLC and its affiliates make constitutional amendments to ensure that a minimum number of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour are represented at union conventions and conferences.
At all Alliance conferences and events, organizers are mandates to do their utmost to ensure that equity group members are not only represented, but accommodated as required. At some events, for example, our National Women's conferences, specific seats are reserved for Aboriginal and racially visible members. Convention is a delegated forum and representation ultimately rests with the bodies electing the various representatives.

4. Affiliates make constitutional amendments to ensure equitable representation of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour in union executive committees and councils, and in appointments to standing committees, task forces, commissions, boards, agencies and international delegations.
Most appointments to the types of bodies envisioned by this recommendation are not constitutionally determined. The PSAC has appointed racially visible and Aboriginal members to Federation committees and we are one of the few unions with a representative on all four CLC Human Rights Working Groups, including the Aboriginal and visible minority working groups.

5. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour, labour councils and local unions adopt internal policies and anti-racism statements of principle which stipulate that appointed and elected union leaders and staff must abide by these statements of principle as a condition of holding office or staff positions in these labour organizations.
Section 5 of the PSAC Constitution states that every member is entitled to be free from acts or omission on the part of the Union or other members that would discriminate on the basis of race and to be free from harassment on that basis. The Harassment at Union Events and Functions Policy also addresses the issue of harassment on a variety of grounds. Racist behaviour by any members would be dealt with through Section 25 and Regulation 19, both concerning discipline.

6. Affiliates conduct surveys of their membership to determine the representation of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour. At every CLC convention, there will be a report on representation which includes the affiliate survey results and information on union initiatives to fight workplace and union racial harassment and discrimination.
Racially visible and Aborginal members are invited and encouraged to self-identify themselves for inclusion on a central mailing list for each group, which is used in our consultation process. There have been a number of discussions about the possibility of a more general self-identification initiative.

7. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour, labour councils and unions provide staff and financial support to the self-orgainizing activities of aboriginal workers and workers of colour. This support will include financial and staff resources to assist in organizing caucuses and anti-racism forums between conventions.
  • The first PSAC Visible Minority Action Committee was formed in 1989 in the National Capital Region. Since then a number of similar committees have been formed. In most cases, Aboriginal members belong to these committees and in some regions, ususally due to low representation,, Aboriginal and racially visible members are part of a general human rights committee. Regional staff are assigned to work with these committees and facilitate their activities. Due to our recent change to a regional structure, the mechanism for providing financial resources has not yet been determined
  • In 1996, the first PSAC Unity Conference, organized by and for Aboriginal and racially visible members, was held. It provided a forum to identify issues and develop strategies.
  • The PSAC has a policy on Aboriginal Workers and an anti-racism policy for the PSAC is under development. Both have been developed by Aboriginal and racially visible members.

Education

1. On an immediate basis, the CLC and its affiliates develop an anti-racism education plan of action which includes the integration of anti-racism analysis into existing courses, development of anti-racism courses and materials, self-education packages for the leadership and staff, and regular delivery of anti-racism courses.




The Alliance has an in-resident human rights course that addresses the issue of racism. As well, in two regions racially visible members have developed courses to address this issue. An anti-racist filter is used in the revision of all courses as they are cyclically reviewed. There have been several presentations provided to the National Board of Directors and the Alliance Executive Committee, by Aboriginal and racially visible members and activists. For a four year period in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the staff was offered an in-residence (four and one-half day) human rights course, which addressed racism. The co-facilitators were a racially visible community activist and educator and a white staff member.

2. The CLC, its affiliates, and federations of labour develop anti­racism courses aimed at aboriginal workers and workers of colour which address the issues of power, privilege and marginalization. These courses will incorporate strategies for strengthening workers' participation in unions and society. The courses should be developed and delivered by Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour.

marginalization. These courses will


As noted above, in two regions racially visible members have developed courses to address racism. As well, Alliance courses are now being developed and delivered by our Alliance Facilitator Network, which includes Aboriginal and racially visible members. It is our practice to involve members directly affected by particular issues in the development of courses and other materials.

3. As a priority, the CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour and labour councils develop anti-racism materials for worker-to-worker organizing in unionized and unorganized workplaces. The materials will be developed in partnership with workers from the Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour communities.
The Alliance has developed some educational materials, in particular posters and videos, that address racism and mark equity days (March 21st (Anti-racism day), June 21st (Aboriginal Solidarity Day) and December 10th (Human Rights Day). All materials are developed in consultation with Aboriginal and/or racially visible member activists.

4. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour immediately adopt policy guidelines for evaluating and monitoring the delivery of anti-racism workshops in their respective labour schools. A report on the number of anti-racism workshops delivered will be made available at their respective conventions.
Reports of courses provided through our Education section are available to the National Board of Directors four times each year and available to Convention.

5. The CLC, federations of labour and labour councils will fund community-based anti-racism education and counselling centres to provide counselling, support, assistance and advocacy for victims of racism.
In some regions, the Alliance is involved in coalition work with community organizations conducting anti-racism work. The PSAC is not in a position to provide direct funding for new initiatives. We believe, however, that this is a valuable suggestion and we commit to fully considering how we might work with the CLC to creatively assist in the fulfillment of a project of this nature.

6. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour hire aboriginal workers and workers of colour in their education departments as a way of integrating an anti-racism perspective and analysis in labour education.
Alliance courses are now being developed and delivered by our Alliance Facilitator Network, which is representative of Aboriginal and racially visible members. As well, our Internal Employment Equity Plan addresses the issue of staffing with education.

Research

1. In partnership with progressive policy institutes, the CLC and its affiliates fund a one-year project to begin the important work of integrating anti-racism analysis in public policy work, with the goal of establishing a national anti-racism research centre. The project will include the identification of organizations doing similar work in Canada and other countries.



2. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour, in partnership with Canadian universities, community colleges, labour councils and anti-racism organizations, establish regional anti­racism research centres accessible to working people.

3. The CLC and its affiliates, in partnership with community groups, should fund a one-year project to research the contributions of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour in their respective unions.

4. The CLC issue a quarterly anti-racism research bulletin providing information on housing, education, immigration, the justice system, health, media and the labour force participation. The bulletin will include the impact of corporate, government, employer and union policies on Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour. The bulletin will provide a working class perspective of issues.
Under consideration by the CLC.

5. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour hire Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour to work in their research and policy departments.
See above comments on our internal Employment Equity Plan.

6. The CLC establish an anti­racism library and data bank of relevant case law, arbitrations, reports, journals and books, and make them accessible to unionized and unorganized workers, students and community groups.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Communications Strategy

1. The labour movement develop anti-racism newsletters, bulletins, and other publications and make them accessible to union members, students and community activists. All publications will include a working class perspective on social, economic and political issues.




Alliance publications are generally available to the public. Materials related to equity issues are usually circulated to activists and organizations within that particular community for their information about our work.

2. In partnership with community-based co­operative groups, the CLC and its affiliates sponsor anti­racism media centres to assist unions in the production and distribution of accessible anti­racism audio­visual materials and information. The centres will provide a place for young activists to receive training and develop alternative media communications strategies.

3. The CLC, its affiliates, labour councils and local unions should annually sponsor anti­racism, human rights, and workers rights public service announcements in the media during days of action such as the International Day to Eliminate Racism (March 21), African Heritage Month (February), International Women's Day (March 8), Aboriginal Peoples Day (June 21), Refugees Day (April 4), United Nation Human Rights Day (Dec. 10) and Gay Pride Days.
The Alliance has commemorated these days in our internal publications for a number of years. On occasion we have published greetings in community publications on these days.

4. The CLC fund a six­month anti-racism communications project aimed at aboriginal youth and youth of colour. The project will address the role of unions as grassroots organizations in fighting for equality and social rights, and democracy.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Organizing

1. The CLC and its affiliates develop and implement an organizing plan of action to strengthen union membership by organizing Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour who work in non­unionized workplaces. The action plan will include an anti-racism and anti­sexism component. This will be aimed at making our unions and workplaces more welcoming in order to increase the participation of all new members in workplace and union activities. A progress report should be made available at each labour organization's convention.




PSAC has historically done a significant amount of organizing in the North and is currently targetting First Nation's Band Council employees in all regions. We are also involved in the active recruitment of Aboriginal organizers, particularly in the Casino sector where there is a significant First Nation presence, e.g., the Klondike Visitor's Centre. Aboriginal organizers are currently active in Band Council campaigns in the Atlantic region.

2. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour and labour councils organize workers in partnership with anti-racism, youth, women, lesbian and gay men, and disability organizations to fight systemic discrimination in unionized and unorganized workplaces. In partnership with community groups, the labour movement will organize activities on days of action targeting employers who engage in discriminatory practices.
Alliance support of community events such as these are part of Regional Organizing Plans aimed at raising the profile of the PSAC in the regions. These Plans are funded and underway in most regions for 1998.

3. The labour movement adopt an anti-racism organizing plan with the input and analysis of women, men, and youth from the Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour Communities at all stages of development and implementation. An important part of the plan will include an anti­racism component in union organizing in Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour communities.
We have used some aspects of anti-racist organizing through various initiatives and materials. This is particularly the case in the Casino sector among First Nations.

4. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour immediately hire full­time aboriginal workers and workers of colour to do organizing work as a visible commitment by labour to build strong partnerships with these two communities, and a recognition of the cultural and language skills their members bring to organizing.
The Alliance has an Aboriginal members working as an organizer in the Atlantic region. We also have Aboriginal members organizing in the First National hospital privatization campaign in Quebec.

5. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour include aboriginal youth and youth of colour in all training initiatives for union organizers in all regions of the country.
Alliance's recruitment targets for organizer training in the regions include racially visible and Aboriginal members.

RACISM IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Racism in Employment

1. Unions fight workplace racism by negotiating anti­racism provisions in line with employment equity principles in every set of negotiations. They must support local union collective bargaining work by providing samples of anti­racism contract language and employment equity plan breakthroughs. They must develop employment equity plans with the participation of People of Colour and Aboriginal Peoples.






The Alliance has an employment equity demand at the Master Table (with the federal public service). As well, tools for members involved in the development and implementation of employment equity plans are under development.
2. The labour movement strengthen its commitment to and publicly advocate for employment equity legislation as a key component of fighting systemic racism. The Alliance has consistently called for employment equity legislation with adequate enforcement mechanisms. These calls have been made through various mediums, including briefs to parliamentary committees.
3. The labour movement work with community groups to develop a short­ and long­term strategy to build legislative support for employment equity at the federal and provincial levels. The strategy will include how to involve workers in local unions and grassroots community activists in the push for employment equity legislation. The Alliance participates in the CLC Ad Hoc Committee on Employment Equity, which is composed of members of the CLC Women's and Human Rights Committees. This committee has begun work with community organizations on employment equity.

4. The CLC annually publish a newsletter on employment equity that analyzes how anti­racism and equality fights are linked to workers rights, union rights and workplace solidarity. The analysis will be based on the experiences of workers on the "shop floor."
Under consideration by the CLC.

Racism and Immigration

1. The CLC develop a position paper with a political analysis of the current public debate taking place in Canada on immigration and refugees. The paper will include policy options and suggestions for ways to build public support for progressive public immigration and refugee policies.




Under consideration by the CLC.

2. The CLC and its affiliates submit a position statement to the federal government, drawing attention to the links between the policies the government supports in the South and their destabilizing effects, for example, the influx of refugees into countries of the North.

3. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour and labour councils convene a conference to discuss the current downloading of settlement programs by the federal government to the provinces and municipalities. The forum will develop a labour strategy on immigration, including an action plan to address immigration policies at all levels of government.

4. The CLC develop a position paper with recommendations on ways to improve existing legislation and regulations governing the administration and enforcement of immigration and refugee policies.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Racism and Education

1. The CLC, its affiliates, federations of labour, in partnership with teachers unions, work on integrating trade union and anti­racism education into schools, community colleges and universities.



2. The CLC and its affiliates, and teachers unions, fund a research project to analyze links between systemic racism, class and other forms of racism in the Canadian education system. A position paper will be produced as part of the project. Recommendations from the position paper should provide concrete actions unions will take on an interim and long­term basis.

3. The CLC, in partnership with unions representing teachers and teaching assistants, organize a forum before the 1999 CLC Convention to discuss ways of integrating the positive role of unions, Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour in society into the education system.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Racism and Housing

1. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour call on the federal and provincial governments to do an impact study on the lack of access to housing for Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour.





2. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour join the Aboriginal Peoples community in pressuring all levels of government to improve housing conditions in Aboriginal Peoples communities.

Racism and the Political Process

1. The CLC organize a national round table on aboriginal rights, in partnership with the leadership from the community, to discuss the recommendations on self­government in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples report.




Under consideration by the CLC.
2. The CLC support People of Colour in the establishment of a national anti-racism organization whose mandate will be to develop public policy proposals and analyze the impact of government policy on the community.
 Under consideration by the CLC.
3. The CLC provide staff and financial resources to assist anti­racism organizations in organizing political campaigns on social and economic policy. Under consideration by the CLC.
4. The labour movement lobby the NDP to adopt internal anti­racism initiatives, including an action plan to review the party's structures and policies for systemic racism and barriers. The plan will include numerical goals of representation in the party leadership, decision­making structures, staff and candidates.  

Racism in the Canadian Legal System

1. In order to build on the work that has been done by community activists on racism in the criminal justice system, the CLC coordinate a formal submission to the federal and provincial justice ministers by December, 1997. As part of the submission, the CLC, affiliates, federations of labour and labour councils will review actions taken or not taken to date with respect to all the recommendations in the following reports:

  • Royal Commission on Donald Marshall Jr. prosecution;
  • Aboriginal Justice Inquiry of Manitoba;
  • Ontario Task Force on Race Relations and Policing; and
  • Commission on Systemic Racism in the Ontario Justice System.



Under consideration by the CLC.

2. The CLC coordinate a meeting between the leadership of the labour movement and the federal justice minister to present labour's position on the under­representation of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour as judges, police officers, correctional officers, prosecution officers and in other positions in the Canadian legal system. At this meeting, the union leadership will also present recommendations on ways to integrate anti­racism analysis and work into the training and education of police, judges, lawyers, correction officers and all others involved in the Canadian judicial system.
Under consideration by the CLC.

3. The CLC call for a federal government Royal Commission to study the disproportionate representation of aboriginal youth and youth of colour in Canadian prisons. The scope of the commission would include a study of issues such as family poverty, systemic racism in the judicial system, availability of after­school community youth centres, and the number of youth in conflict with the law for administrative offences or petty criminal offences.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Racism in the Media

1. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour jointly contact the editorial boards of major national and regional news media before the 1999 CLC convention. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss issues of systemic racism, stereotyping and media/corporate responsibility.





2. The CLC join national organizations such as the Council of Canadians to challenge the monopoly ownership of Canadian media by a few individuals. The CLC will provide a position paper with an anti­racism analysis on the corporate ownership of the media.
Under consideration by the CLC.

3. Labour councils co­ordinate an anti-racism campaign on CLC Days of Action every year to draw public attention to all the negative coverage directed at unions, Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour.
For consideration by Labour Councils.

Environmental Racism and Health

1. The CLC, in partnership with progressive community groups, develop a public education and awareness campaign on environmental racism and its effects on workers and their communities.




Under consideration by the CLC.

2. The CLC develop a policy statement on environmental racism and its impact on workers and their environment. The policy paper will expose the role of corporations in endangering the lives and environment of Aboriginal Peoples and People of Colour throughout the world.
Under consideration by the CLC.

Racism and International Issues

1. The CLC and its affiliates support efforts to combat global racism, including systemic racism and environmental racism. This includes integrating an anti­racism analysis into our positions at the ICFTU, ILO, UN and ITS.


In our work at the PSI, we undertake, in line with our policies, to integrate anti-racism analyses into our positions.

2. The CLC and its affiliates, in solidarity with workers of the South, develop campaigns against corporations and international financial institutions exploiting workers in any part of the world. The campaigns will be developed with a worker and anti­racism perspective.

3. The CLC and its affiliates provide research publications and documents which include information on the impact of the actions of international financial institutions on workers' rights, social programs and democracy, both in Canada and countries of the South.
The Alliance produces publications and works with other organizations in the production of publications that include these analyses.

4. The labour movement include Aboriginal Peoples and Peoples of Colour in international solidarity work. This will include supporting exchange programs to enable aboriginal workers and workers of colour to do grassroots solidarity work in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Australia, and providing staffing to and representation on international solidarity delegations.

5. The CLC, its affiliates and federations of labour, along with international departments and international solidarity funds, hire People of Colour and Aboriginal Peoples on staff as a commitment to democratizing our international solidarity work within and outside Canada.
The Alliance does not have a department dedicated to international affairs.

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Page updated: 14/05/03