News

CEP SEMINAR ON GLOBALIZATION



Communications, Energy & Papermakers Union of Canada (CEP) held a 2 day seminar for CEP Representatives on Globalization and its impact and role of the CEP through its Humanity Fund.



Duncan Brown is the Executive Secretary of the Humanity fund and facilitated the 2 day seminar which was attended by over 25 full time reps. He said that this was the first time such a seminar had been held and highlighted the importance that the Fund had within the Union structure. He said that workers living in poverty can be reduced by providing decent work through important project work.



Vice President Joe Gargisio opened the seminar and spoke about the importance of being organized at an international level, he said employers have been organized across countries through multi nationals and the Fund has an important role in assisting unions to organize workers so that decent living standards can be achieved



Each year thousands of CEP members contribute one-cent-per-hour (or $20 per year) to the CEP Humanity Fund to help people facing disaster and poverty and promote decent work and equitable development in Canada and around the world.



Through the CEP Humanity Fund projects across UNI Sectors Graphical, Telecom and MEI are supported in countries such as Mozambique, Uganda, Zimbabwe, El Salvador and Nicaragua.



In addition to these UNI Sectors the CEP also has projects with the paper international ICEM:



The seminar was addressed by a number of speakers including Oxfam Canada, Canadian MP Peter Julian, Jorges Robles (FAT-Mexico) and UNI Graphical HOD Steve Walsh.



John Dillon from KAIROS provided an excellent paper on The Corporate Agenda and Globalization and spoke about the failure of FTA’s to deliver prosperity for workers.



Steve Walsh spoke about the role of UNI Graphical in developing networks, developing strong unions and the right to decent work and how by working in partnership with Unions such as the CEP through project work in developing countries we can make a difference to the lives of working people.



Jorge Robles addressed the seminar on the challenges faced by progressive unions in Mexico and the ongoing struggle for workers to be represented by free trade unions.



Gerry Barr from the Canadian Council for International Co-operation identified the key role that unions have in this globalization debate because of the very nature of the work trade unions do, particularly around the establishment and maintenance of union networks. He said that unions have the ability to understand the significance of the relationships that exist within multi national companies and how these MNC’s can impact on workers lives.



The Executive Board of CEP has established a goal of having all CEP members and Locals participate in the Humanity Fund and having it a part of all bargaining claims.



Participants in the seminar were positive about the work of the Humanity Fund and support it being more integrated into the work of the union.