The Society is proud to have six equity committees. The committees are: United Sisters, the Indigenous Relations Circle, the Black and Racialized Professionals Committee, Professionals with Disabilities Committee, Pride & Solidarity, and the Young Professionals Network.
The purpose of these committees is to hear directly from members of the union that identify as being from these equity-seeking groups so that the union can be responsive to their issues and needs—both in terms of our advocacy and in the way that we approach our collective bargaining processes.
Our committees are always looking for new members to help support their activities. If you are interested in becoming more active in your union please review the committees and contact the committees for more information as to how you can help.
United Sisters
United Sisters works in the workplace, union and society as a whole to identify and take action on issues that affect the status of women. United Sisters recommends measures to eliminate barriers to women’s full participation in the Society, and undertakes education, activism and communication to advance gender equity and women’s rights everywhere.
Indigenous Relations Circle
The Society of United Professionals and the Indigenous Relations Circle are committed to addressing and advancing the economic and social conditions of Indigenous people in Canada (First Nations, Metis and Inuit). As a union, we have taken this position for two important reasons. First, alleviating the poverty, social disconnection and historical disadvantages to ensure that all Indigenous people are given appropriate opportunities and resources for advancement is simply the right thing to do. Second, we know that there are many members within the Society who identify as Indigenous and would like to advance the status of Indigenous people in Society-represented workplaces and in society more broadly.
Young Professionals Network
The Young Professionals Network (YPN) is comprised of Society of United Professionals members 35 and under. The goal of creating this network is to help increase the participation and representation of young Society members in the union and in the broader labour movement. The YPN organizes activities that enrich the experience of young members, brings voice to issues of shared concern for young members and encourages young members to become involved in all aspects of the union.
Pride & Solidarity Committee
The Pride & Solidarity Committee meets regularly to discuss creating education opportunities and awareness of 2SLGBTQI+ issues in the workplace and our union. The Committee mandate is to advance two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, intersex, plus (“2SLGBTQI+”) issues in the union, the workplace and the communities where we live. Membership on the committee is open to Society members who are committed to furthering discussions either identifying as a member of the community or as an ally.
Black & Racialized Professionals Committee
The Black and Racialized Professionals Committee is a space for Society members of to organize for racial justice within their union, workplaces and communities. The Coalition of Racialized Professionals meets regularly to discuss creating education opportunities and awareness of issues affecting racialized professionals in the workplace and our union. The committee’s mandate is to advance issues affecting racialized professionals in the union, the workplace and the communities where we live. Membership on the committee is open to all Society members who are committed to furthering discussions on issues of importance to racialized professionals in their workplaces and planning education and awareness events.
Professionals with Disabilities Committee
The Professionals with Disabilities Committee works to advance the interests of persons with disabilities and injured workers within the Society, employer workplaces and the communities where we live and work. Its mandate is to provide a forum to discuss and identify cultural, economic, social and career-related issues impacting members with a disability in the workplace, with an aim to incorporate these issues into Society Policies and provide recommendations for improvements to collective agreement language.
The committee strives to exchange information with persons with disabilities and injured workers, and with the general membership about relevant programs and issues of interest and engage in outreach to persons with disabilities and their allies to disseminate information and encourage participation of all members. It also works to help ensure employers do not discriminate based on a disability or a perceived disability and assists the union by providing elected representatives with tools to help eliminate this employer practice.
We encourage any member who identifies with or is interested in one of our equity committees to please reach out via the emails above.
