• Black History Month
• NextGen and Women's Committee Monthly Meetings
• IBEW Canadian Women's Conference Video
• IBEW 40th International Convention
• Pink Shirt Day
• Government of Canada Promotes In-Demand Skilled Trades as a First-Choice Career Path

Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.

The 2022 theme for Black History Month is: “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day,” which focuses on recognizing the daily contributions that Black Canadians make to Canada..

Canada’s unions are marking Black History Month by calling for long-term, concrete government action to address systemic labour market discrimination and disadvantages faced by Black workers.

“Black people in Canada have had to struggle with the impacts of colonial systems that have rooted anti-Black racism into our institutions, policies, workplaces and society,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “So, while we celebrate Black History Month, it’s critical that our commitment to support and stand with Black workers and communities extends beyond this one month,” said Bruske.

Black History Month is an important time to recognize both the contributions and struggles of Black communities in this country. The history of Black people in Canada spans centuries and consists of a wide range of experiences, including slavery and abolition, homesteading and migration, the civil rights movement, and immigration.

Black people in Canada have made notable contributions to all aspects of life in this country, including to the labour movement, but these achievements have not come without struggle – which Black communities continue to face to this day.

“The social and economic impacts of anti-Black racism and discrimination have been significant and have resulted in a multigenerational wage gap for Black communities in Canada. And the barriers to social and economic advancement are only worse when the Black experience meets other experiences of marginalization, such as for Black people with disabilities, Black Muslims, Black women or Black trans people,” said Larry Rousseau, Executive Vice-President of the CLC.

The effects of systemic racism include ongoing labour market discrimination against Black workers, which has seen Black workers receive lower wages and face barriers in all aspects of work, from the hiring process, to advancement and retention.

Longstanding issues require long-term solutions and supports. Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to address economic and systemic racism and discrimination faced by Black workers by committing to and implementing the following actions:

• Create an intersectional national anti-Black racism strategy, including strong employment and pay targets and concrete measures to address systemic labour-market discrimination and disadvantages faced by Black workers;
• Ensure the reform and modernization of the Employment Equity Act includes employer requirements to divulge pay gaps affecting Black workers and a plan to narrow and eliminate the gender and multigenerational racial pay gap;
• Designate Black workers as an equity-seeking group under the Employment Equity Act to take into account the significant inequities, barriers and disparities in employment experienced by Black workers as a result of systemic racism and discrimination, toward addressing and eliminating systemic anti-Black racism in employment;
• Invest in public social infrastructure and care work as part of an equitable pandemic recovery plan to ensure good, safe jobs and stronger care systems that support all those who need care as well as all care workers – many of whom are Black women; and
• Launch an inquiry on the overrepresentation of Black children and youth in the care of child protection services.

This Black History Month and beyond, Canada’s unions stand in solidarity with and support Black workers and communities. Show your support and join the CLC for a text rally on February 23 at 1pm Eastern, where they will be texting Canadians across the country and inviting them to demand change from government and increased supports for Black workers and communities.

You can also tune in to the Government of Canada's Black History Month virtual celebration on Facebook Live at 7 pm (ET), February 17, 2022. This live virtual event highlighting this year’s theme will feature performances, tributes, interviews and much more!

[Sources: Canadian Government and Canadian Labour Congress]

In solidarity,
Cheryl Paron, International Representative

NextGen and Women's Committee Monthly Meetings

Thank you to all of the committees who joined the January calls.  These calls serve as a way to stay connected with committees across the country.  They help us share ideas, solve problems, build solidarity and provide general support to each other.  All local unions are welcome to participate, however we ask that you limit your participation to 3 people from your local union.  If you're interested, please email International Representative, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Calls for February are as follows:

• NextGen Committees - Tuesday, February 8th 7:30-8:30pm EST (2nd Tuesday of the month)
• Women's Committees - Tuesday, February 15th 7:00-8:00pm EST (3rd Tuesday of the month)

Zoom meeting information will be sent out to all interested participants by email.

IBEW Canadian Women's Conference Video

Thank you again to all who attended and supported the 2021 IBEW Canadian Women's Conference.  Throughout the conference the IBEW media department was in attendance capturing the thoughts and experiences of our delegates, speakers and guests.  I invite you to check out the Conference Video which highlights why these events carry such importance.  A special thank you to the delegates who agreed to be interviewed for this video.

IBEW 40th International Convention (IC)

The 40th IBEW International Convention is taking place May 9-13, 2022 at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, IL.  Credentials for delegates and alternates will be provided through the online preregistration system which will become available on February 7. 2022.  Local unions will access the website by using their assigned Local Connections username and password.  Local unions unsure of their Local Connections logon information should email the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Constitutional Amendments/Resolutions

To be considered, proposed amendments to the IBEW Constitution and Resolutions (non-constitutional amendments) must be in the office of the International Secretary-Treasurer by March 25, 2022, which is 45 days prior to the opening of the IC.


Vaccinations

The City of Chicago has implemented a public health order requiring persons over the age of five to  provide proof of vaccination when attending events where food and beverages are being served.  To comply with this order and promote the health and safety of all attendees at the IC, the IEC has adopted a resolution requiring all delegates, guests, vendors and all other attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend all Convention events, including but not limited to, pre-Convention and post-Convention meetings and events, all Convention proceedings, and all receptions, dinners, and entertainment events held in conjunction with the IC.


NextGen/RENEW Delegation

The First District has been allocated 13 spots, one for every province and territory. Young worker delegates must be born in 1986 or later and be an IBEW member in good standing. Local Unions are responsible for sponsoring the young worker delegate which includes covering all expenses. Participating in the RENEW/NextGen delegation is an intense experience. Delegates are required to attend all convention sessions along with additional RENEW/NextGen sessions. They are also expected to attend pre-convention sessions such as Community Service and the RENEW/NextGen, Women’s, Political and EWMC caucuses scheduled the Thursday-Sunday prior.

Local Unions interested in sending a NextGen candidate who meets the criteria above are welcome to apply to be part of the First District delegation. To apply, the Local Union candidate should submit a one-page (approximately 500 words) essay outlining why they would like to attend convention and what they plan to do with the knowledge gained from attending. Their application should also include a brief biography (no more than 250 words) covering their jurisdiction of work along with their union involvement. Please submit applications (essay and biography) to International Representative, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by February 28, 2022.


Please refer to the "Convention Call" letter from President Stephenson dated January 14, 2022  and the "RENEW NextGen Delegation" correspondence from the First District dated January 25, 2022 for more information

Pink Shirt Day – February 23rd

Pink Shirt Day or Anti-Bullying Day is a day when people come together by wearing pink shirts to school or work to show they are against bullying. 

In 2007 in Nova Scotia, Grade 12 students David Shepherd, Travis Price and a few friends saw that a Grade 9 student was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school.  They knew this behaviour was not okay and decided to go out and buy a bunch of pink shirts and hand them out to other students to wear.  By the end of that week, most of the students in the school were wearing pink shirts to show support for the Grade 9 student who was bullied.

Pink Shirt day falls on the last Wednesday of February.  On February 23rd, show your support and wear pink!

Government of Canada Promotes In-Demand Skilled Trades as a First-Choice Career Path

Now more than ever, as Canada recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, skilled tradespeople are in high demand to fill well-paying jobs and build rewarding careers. The most recent projections estimate about 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire between 2019 and 2028, creating an ever-growing need to recruit and train thousands more.

That is why today, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, launched an advertising campaign to promote the skilled trades as a strong first-choice career path for youth and young adults.

Also launched as part of this campaign is Canada.ca/skilled-trades, a comprehensive website that offers a one-stop national repository for information about the skilled trades. The site will help young Canadians learn about the more than 300 skilled trades in Canada and the Red Seal trade designation. The site also highlights in-demand trades in each region and available financial support offered by the Government of Canada. The campaign will reach youth and young adults through popular social media platforms, websites, campus billboards, public transit and national broadcast media.

This campaign was developed with insights and valuable contributions from the special advisors to Minister Qualtrough, who each in their own right is a long-standing and passionate advocate for the skilled trades, encouraging apprenticeships and promoting this rewarding career path to Canadians from coast to coast. The advisory committee was composed of:

• France Daviault, Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum;
• Jamie McMillan, Founder of KickAss Careers and talented ironworker and boilermaker by trade;
• Mandy Rennehan, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Freshco; and
• Matt Wayland RSE, Executive Assistant to the International Vice-President and Canadian Director of Government Relations for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Canada.

To further support more Canadians to join the skilled trades, the Government of Canada is investing nearly $1 billion annually in apprenticeship supports through grants, loans, tax credits, Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training, project funding, and support for the Red Seal Program, in addition to existing funding programs. Announced in Budget 2019, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy will strengthen existing apprenticeship supports and programs by helping apprentices and key apprenticeship stakeholders, including employers, to participate and succeed in the skilled trades.

Quotes

“Canada’s workforce needs more skilled trade workers. They have expertise and skills that are essential to our economy and our way of life. When Canadians are contemplating a new career, we want them to consider entering the skilled trades and to understand the exciting, well-paying opportunities that they present.”

– Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough

“Promoting the skilled trades to young people is essential to reducing the stigma that still surrounds careers in the trades. These careers offer good quality, well-paying jobs, yet there is a gap in knowledge for many Canadians. With this campaign, I hope to see more young Canadians from all types of backgrounds find a career in the trades and explore the apprenticeship learning pathway.”

– France Daviault, Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum

“Skilled trades are everywhere impacting most aspects of our lives. It’s exciting to be part of a campaign that highlights the endless benefits skilled trades careers offer including excellent programs, hands-on learning, paid training, diverse choices and lifelong financial sustainability.  There is a wonderful sense of pride and accomplishment that is unbeatable making skilled trades an exceptional choice for anyone looking for a rewarding, lucrative career.” 

– Jamie McMillan, Founder of KickAss Careers

“The skilled trades offer diverse and rewarding careers, but unfortunately these jobs are sometimes seen as less valuable by Canadians. That could not be further from the truth. I am happy to have participated in the development of this campaign that is making trades more relatable and reminding Canadians of all ages that working in the trades can lead to in-demand and well-paying jobs.”

– Mandy Rennehan, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Freshco

“As Canada experiences more shortages in the skilled trades, it is more important than ever to reach young Canadians from all backgrounds and show them how the trades offer rewarding and high-paying careers. Careers that allow you to earn while you learn on the job. Whether it is building a new hospital or school in your community, to the greenest skyscrapers or clean renewable power plants that will help Canada meet our climate change goals,  The skilled trades will be front and centre in tackling the country’s greatest challenges and building a greener, more resilient future. There has never been a more exciting time to explore a career in the skilled trades.”

– Matt Wayland, Executive Assistant to the International Vice-President and Canadian Director of Government Relations for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

• According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, an average of around 75,000 new apprentices will need to be hired per year in the next five years in order to meet the demand for skilled journeypersons in Red Seal trades. Top trades most at risk of not meeting the demand include welder, industrial mechanic (millwright), bricklayer, boilermaker, cook and hairstylist.
• Demand for construction trades is likely to remain high. According to Buildforce Canada, the industry needs to recruit 309,000 new construction workers over the next decade (2021 to 2030), driven predominantly by the expected retirement of 259,100 workers (22% of the current labour force). 
• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Canada’s apprenticeship systems. Apprenticeship data from 2020 shows the largest year-over-year declines in new apprenticeship registrations and certifications since the data series began in 1991.
  • There were 55,455 new apprenticeship registrations in 2020, a decrease of 28.5% (-22,119) from 2019.
  • There were 26,376 apprentices who received a trade certificate in 2020, a decrease of 31.5% (-12,138) from 2019. 
• In Canada, young women continue to be less likely to express interest in a career in the skilled trades. According to a survey done by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, only 2% of 15-year-old female students indicated that they were definitely planning to pursue a career in the skilled trades.
  
  [Source: Employment and Social Development Canada]