Women's Committee

Canadian Labour Congress Campaign - On March 8th, 2008, the CLC will be launching a national year-long campaign on Women's Economic Equality, which will run until the 8th of March, 2009.  The campaign will focus on raising awareness of the gap between men and women's wages.

About this Campaign - The Canadian Labour Congress will use creative and innovative attention getting opportunities to raise awareness of the lack of attention paid by politicians, employers and the media to the growing economic inequality of women that forces them to pay attention.

The Canadian Labour Congress will be initiating a sustained campaign to raise both the awareness of, and the level of engagement on women’s inequality among women, workers and their families. It’s time to raise awareness not only on the issues themselves, but on the fact that women’s economic equality is being ignored at all levels of government and by the media. The CLC will highlight labour’s solutions in a campaign that will be kicked off March 8, 2008 with a series of teach-ins across the country. By mobilizing union sisters to talk within their unions, their families, with their brothers, with the public, media, employers and politicians at all levels of government about the importance of child care, minimum wage reform, pay equity, better access to Employment Insurance (EI), improvements to CPP, OAS and GIS, and belonging to a union and collective bargaining as a key solution to closing the wage gap between working women and men. It’s time to make some advances on systemic economic inequality.

As we receive further details and event plans about this campaign, we will keep you up to date.

Further information on local International Women's Day events will be posted as it becomes available.

Click the logo for information on this commemorative day.

View more information on the history of International Women's Day

Please check back to this area for upcoming events.

Women's Faces, One Union, One Voice: UFCW Celebrates Women’s History Month!

An interesting link on our International website. Features (all on women) include "UFCW Faces", "Did you know?", and "Women's History Timeline" among other articles.

UFCW Local 1400 Women’s Committee Reports

Fall/Winter, 2007

In the next number of months, there are two observances that are of great importance to all women. I urge you to mark them on your calendars and attend events that honour them.

The first is December 6, which is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, a day that was established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, and marks the anniversary of the tragic murders in 1989 of 14 women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. They died simply because they were women, in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation.

As well as commemorating these young women, December 6 represents an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect on the occurrences of violence against women in our society, and to think about the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality. It is also a day to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence and a day on which communities are reminded and urged to consider the actions that need to be taken to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in our society.

The next date is International Women’s Day, March 8,a day that was established in 1977 by the United Nations, providing an opportunity to celebrate the progress made to advance women's rights and to assess the challenges that remain. International Women's Day encourages us to consider steps to bring about equality for women and girls in all their diversity and to celebrate the collective power of women past, present and future.

Please watch your posting boards and the Women’s Committee website for information about these events taking place in your community.

Merry Christmas and all the very best in the upcoming year.

Barb Logan
UFCW SK Women’s Committee Chair

The Saskatoon Women’s Committee held our fall event in October. We held a Fun Casino Night in conjunction with the Westfair Bargaining Conference. I am glad to report that it was a great success with a whole lot of fun and prizes for those who came out and $758 raised towards leukemia research. Special thanks go to Gail Mack for being the event coordinator and to all others for their efforts to make the evening a great one. To all those who donated prizes, the Women’s Committee extend an extra special thank you; we could not host these events without your support.

We hope to hold our next event in January and another in conjunction with International Women’s Day on March 8. Both will be informational sessions designed to target women’s issues. Details on both events are being finalized and will be posted soon. Again, I am excited with the direction of the committee and urge all women interested in networking with other women to please contact a committee member for more information.

Have a Happy Holiday Season and see you in the New Year.

Kathy Erickson
Saskatoon Chair, UFCW Local 1400 Women’s Committee

Pictures from the Fun-Casino night.

2007 & 2006 Women's Committee Report Archives

Dates of Observance

December 6, each year - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

The following information on this day of remembrance and links are from the Government of Canada website.

Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day coincides with the sad anniversary of the death of fourteen young women who were tragically killed on December 6, 1989 at l'École Polytechnique in Montréal because of their gender.

Beyond commemorating the loss of these fourteen young lives, this day represents a time to pause and reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also a time to have a special thought for all the women and girls who live daily with the threat of violence or who have died as a result of deliberate acts of gender-based violence. Last but not least, it is a day for communities to reflect on concrete actions that each Canadian can take to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

• News releases and statements
• Products available and information on violence against women
• Ordering products
• Calendar of Activities
• For more information

March 8 each year, International Women’s Day

This is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world. The date is commemorated through the United Nations and in many countries, is designated as a national holiday. It is a day for women on all continents, who may be divided by national boundaries, by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political differences to come together to celebrate their day and reflect on the struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

For more information please visit this United Nations web page.