Academic Women for Justice
Femmes universitaires pour la justice

Political Action, Advocacy and Strategy Assistance for Academic Women

Unions and Faculty Associations

Following concerns expressed by women from across the country that their voices are not being heard by the very unions and associations who should be protecting their rights, Academic Women for Justice/Femmes universitaires pour la justice is collecting information on the equity efforts of our unions, faculty associations and CAUT.

Relevant information includes but is not limited to the following:

Inaction on equity (including harassment) complaints
Refusal to take grievances on equity matters to arbitration Reprisals for raising equity-related matters
Failure to support faculty members who file claims to Human Rights Tribunals
Inappropriate behavior by union staff or stewards ('you're the problem' 'take Prozac')
Use of legal counsel to intimidate faculty members into withdrawing their equity demands

Please send your information to Academic Women for Justice/Femmes universitaires pour la justice c/o info@academicwomenforjustice.org

"A Practical Guide to the Duty of Fair Representation" by Denis W. Ellickson, January 21, 2004.

Please visit the new website for the project on Leadership, Feminism and Equality in Unions in Canada, and send the link out widely.

This project explores the current climate and attitudes to women, feminism, leadership and equality in Canadian unions through the insights, voices and experiences of women union leaders, activists and staff. Women from seven provinces and territories were involved, including retired and still active staff, leaders and activists, racialized and Aboriginal women, lesbians and young women, and women from public and private sector unions and central labour bodies. Our findings do not address the situation in Québec.

The discussions were wide-ranging, analytical and deeply-moving. What emerged was a widespread consensus that there is a serious problem within the labour movement in advancing women's equality work and supporting feminist activists at all levels. Union women, however, still share the optimistic belief that organized labour has played and can continue to play a critical role in challenging inequality.

WHAT WE ARE FINDING:
The "What we are finding" page highlights six themes.

UNION EQUITY AUDIT:
The Union Equity Audit offers a tool to explore the changing patterns on women's equality issues and leadership inside unions. Many union sisters have filled it out and the Audit is generating some informative and thought-provoking numerical data. We encourage union sisters to fill out a copy. You can fill out and submit on line.

You can also use the Audit as an education and organizing tool. Fill it out with a group of union women or in your union women's committee. Report your findings to your union. Please also consider sharing the results with us.

LINKS On the links pages, a youtube link to "Rising Up Strong: Women Organizing for Change" is now available. Originally made in 1981 (by Linda Briskin and Lorna Weir), "Rising Up Strong" was updated in 1992 through the inclusion of an additional segment on the changes — many as a direct outcome of feminist organizing — which had taken place in the intervening decade. In 2013, "Rising up Strong" stands as an historical reflection on women’s organizing and a tribute to continuing struggles.

Project co-ordinated by Linda Briskin, Sue Genge, Marg McPhail and Marion Pollack. Contact us at womunion@yorku.ca or lbriskin@yorku.ca

Nos associations et syndicats

Femmes universitaires pour la justice/Academic Women for Justice cherche à réunir des données sur les efforts que font nos associations de professeurs et professeures et nos syndicats en vue de l’équité.

Notre intention est de publier sur notre site web un système de notation qui permet aux membres du corps professoral de voir rapidement si leur association ou syndicat prend au sérieux, ou pas, la question de l’équité.

Voici, à titre indicatif seulement, quelques types de données utiles:

Inaction ou réponse inefficace aux plaintes relatives à l’équité (y compris le harcèlement)

Refus d’aller à l’arbitrage dans le cas de griefs relatifs aux questions d’équité
Représailles quand on soulève des questions qui touchent à l’équité
Manque de soutien pour les professeures/professeurs qui amènent leur cause devant un tribunal de droits de la personne
Comportement inacceptable de la part du personnel ou des stewards du syndicat (« C’est toi le problème », « Prends du Prozac »)
Recours aux conseillers juridiques pour intimider les professeures dans le but de les amener à retirer leur plainte en matière d'équité

Nous ne publierons aucune information sur les cas particuliers sans en obtenir préalablement la permission.

Nos associations et syndicats ainsi que l’ACPPU ont leur part de responsabilité dans les inégalités qui perdurent et il est essentiel de les tenir imputables.