Black people in the U.S. are rising up against the police murder of George Floyd, against white supremacy and against systemic racism and police violence.
We stand in solidarity with all people fighting for racial and economic justice. And HEU members feel grief and anger at the devastating impact of structural racism in the U.S., and in our own communities.
Here in Canada, racism is part of daily life for anyone who’s not white. Black lives in Canada face harassment, discrimination and police violence.
Just yesterday the family of a recently deceased woman named Regis Korchinski-Paquet led a march of thousands in Toronto calling for justice.
Indigenous people in Canada suffer genocidal violence, economic and racial injustice, and from the legacy of ongoing colonization.
And we can’t ignore that there has been a rise of hateful and racist acts against Asian-Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These struggles are interconnected. Canada needs to face its racism as a country, and work to dismantle white supremacy. We must continue that work within our union and in our movement.
Racialized HEU members experience racism and discrimination in their communities and at work.
Systemic racism means that some jobs are precarious, more dangerous, unrecognized, undervalued and disproportionately held by workers of colour. The current pandemic health emergency has underscored this reality for racialized workers.
HEU stands steadfast against hate, racism and police violence.
We stand with the BC Federation of Labour in their call for us to “hear and dialogue with Black communities on a consistent basis to make sure that our advocacy is in line with the needs and desires of Black workers and their loved ones.”
We know the strength of our union, our communities, and our society lies in fighting for the liberation of all.
Barb, Jennifer and Betty
HEU President Barb Nederpel,
HEU Secretary Business Manager Jennifer Whiteside, and
HEU Financial Secretary Betty Valenzuela