1) Health and safety in the workplace - Workplace violence can take the form of physical aggression such as hitting, biting or kicking. It also includes verbal threats, swearing, name calling and bullying.
Violence is not part of anyone’s job and the repercussions of workers being exposed to violence can be devastating, affecting their physical and mental health as well as their job satisfaction. For employers, it can result in reduced productivity and financial losses.
2) Equity and inclusion at the table - Union leadership has too often failed to look like the membership. We pride ourselves on our democratic structures but are they addressing everyone's needs? This workshop will look at our structures including how we hold meetings and the language in our collective agreements to examine how we can start making real change to build equitable organizations.
3) Political action - The engagement of union members in the electoral process is critical for our movement. We need to ensure that workers' issues are at the forefront of political platforms and that we nominate and elect candidates who will champion workers' issues. This workshop will focus on the skills that are needed to support strong candidates in your community.
4) Organizing changing workplaces - Our workplaces are changing. Our workforce is increasingly diverse. Have our strategies to engage and organize workers changed too? This workshop will explore how unions can be more successful in organizing today's and tomorrow's workplaces.
5) Responding to climate change - The future of green jobs - We can respond to climate change and grow our economy through green jobs like building retrofits, expanding transit infrastructure, and building a clean energy grid. This session will explore ways the labour movement can encourage local, provincial and federal governments to address the climate emergency without leaving workers behind.