The 46,000 members of the Hospital Employees’ Union send solidarity greetings to the HEU and Canadian Union of Public Employees’ sisters who will be joining throngs of women as they march on Parliament Hill in Ottawa today demanding an end to women’s poverty and violence against women in Canada and around the world.
HEU members Margaret Phinney and Vivian Johnson of Nanaimo have journeyed to the nation’s capital to participate in the Canadian leg of the World March of Women 2000. Phinney and Johnson may continue on to New York for the October 17 WMW 2000 events where North American ceremonies will focus on the United Nations.
“HEU has a proud history of fighting and winning equality for women,” says HEU assistant secretary-business manager Zorica Bosancic. “From 1936 when female workers at Vancouver General Hospital formed the Hospital Workers’ Union, to our historic pay equity settlement this year, women in health care have been in the forefront of the struggle for fair treatment.
“Our hearts, minds and spirits are with our sisters and all the marchers in Ottawa today.”
On Tuesday, October 17, CUPE national president Judy Darcy and secretary-treasurer Geraldine McGuire will attend a breakfast hosted by the HEU Women’s Committee at the union’s 22nd Biennial Convention in Richmond.
And later that morning, more than 600 delegates will honour four of HEU’s pioneering women:
9:00 a.m., Tuesday, October 17 HEU convention tent Richmond Inn