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Social activism in Canada has always been high, but of late,
according to John Lewis, International Vice President and Director
of Canadian Affairs, reporting of such events has been
through the roof. Lewis says there’s not enough space to list
all of the community initiatives undertaken by Canadian
Locals, “but some of the efforts can be cross-referenced and
highlighted,” he states. “Those include Locals 58, 514, 667, 822,
and the International marching in the Coldest Night of the
Year event this past February and raising over $5,000 for the
homeless, hurting, and hungry. We also had Local 891 enact
an anti-bullying initiative, complete with their own t-shirts,
for Pink Shirt Day.”
International Representative Krista Hurdon says Local 680
“continues to be a very active Local, participating in many political
rallies and marches; most recently, the Women’s Rally,
held in conjunction with the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
Convention.”
Local 891 [Motion Picture Studio Production Technicians],
based in British Columbia, is one of Canada’s busiest IATSE
unions when it comes to activism. Communications Coordinator
Siobhan Rowe notes that “once again hundreds of Local 891
members, along with the wider British Columbia film community,
got involved to raise more than $207,000 for the Greater
Vancouver Food Bank. The two-week Reel Thanksgiving Food
Bank Challenge pits B.C. film productions against each other to
raise the most money and food donations,” Rowe shares.
For the most recent Challenge, IATSE workers on Amazon’s
The Man in the High Castle were the top fundraisers, pulling
together more than $34,000. Rowe says the Challenge is now the
biggest single contributor to the Greater Vancouver Foodbank,
with a four-year total raised of more than $565,000. Local 891
President Mitch Davies adds that “after a number of very successful
production years, it’s gratifying to see that being reflected
in the support for wonderful initiatives like [the Reel Thanksgiving
Food Bank Challenge]. IA film people enjoy tremendous
support from the communities where we work,” Davies reflects,
“and this is an important way that they choose to give back and
support people in great need.”
Members of Local 891 also donated $1000 to “Tampon
Tuesday,” an initiative of the Canadian Labour Congress and
the United Way to provide women living in poverty (or who
are homeless) with feminine hygiene products. “Some of those
same women use the vital services of the Downtown Eastside
Women’s Centre and also benefitted from the “Give What You
Have” clothing donation campaign organized by Local 891
Women’s Committee,” Rowe continues. “This campaign resulted
in over five truck loads of clothing.”
Local 891’s Women’s Committee also held an International
Women’s Day celebration and awards ceremony, which resulted
in donations to DEWC of $4,500. “Our Local has built up involvement
in community events over recent years,” describes
Local 891 Business Representative Phil Klapwyk. “Not only does
it demonstrate that we value where we work and live, it also encourages
our members to become part of a larger movement
for social good.”
Many Canadian Locals have been pursuing an equally aggressive
agenda of social activism. Hurdon describes Local 58
[Stagehands] in Toronto as one of “the busiest in the country,”
Members of Locals 129, 828 and B173 and their
families volunteered at the Hamilton Food Share,
Pack Day as part of the Every Plate Full challenge.
Local 11 Recording Secretary/
Treasurer Patrick Keough, JACET
Sound Lead Bryan Ritchie and
Young Worker Patrick Barrett at
Verizon Workers Rally in Boston.
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