The Society of United Professionals, IFPTE Local 160, enthusiastically endorses Team Unite CLC: Bea Bruske for Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) President, Lily Chang for Secretary-Treasurer, and Siobhan Vipond for Executive Vice-President.
A strong, effective, and united CLC is important for all unions and workers in Canada, but this is especially true for smaller affiliates, like the Society, who do not always have the same in-house resources as larger affiliates. By pooling our resources with other unions through the CLC, the Society and our members are able to leverage and benefit from the CLC’s programs in worker education, public advocacy, and political action. As such, the strategic vision, strength, and effectiveness possessed by leadership at the CLC matters a great deal to the Society and our members.
Our Executive Board met with Bea, Lily, and Siobhan, to hear their assessment of the ongoing and future challenges to the economic and social well-being of workers in this country, the challenges standing in the way of unity in the Canadian labour movement, and about their vision for a CLC united and strengthened to meet all of these challenges. Difficult questions were asked. Forthright and thoughtful answers were given. The Society Board was greatly impressed with all three candidates, and subsequently voted unanimously to endorse Team Unite CLC.
Bea, Lily, and Siobhan all have significant experience in building shared goals and co-operative action among affiliates through their leadership experience in Labour Councils and Federations of Labour. They understand that solidarity and unity is the greatest strength of the labour movement, but they are experienced enough to know that solidarity is not an inevitability. Solidarity takes work. There are conflicts to be reconciled, common purposes to be forged, and relationships to be built, in order for us to maximize the power of all unions and all workers coming together for positive change in this country. We are confident that Bea, Lily, and Siobhan are the right people to lead that important work as officers of the CLC.
