This month the CUPE Cast discusses the future of our labour movement… young workers! 

Young workers have taken union organizing by storm, everywhere from Sephora, to Starbucks, to Chipotle and beyond. The CUPE Cast also discusses who is considered a young worker, what are the key issues impacting Generation Z, how young workers leverage social media sites like TikTok, and the "new" Generation Z concept of quiet quitting.

Show notes / links:

Toronto Labour Day parade highlights how Gen Z is revitalizing the workers' movement.

Acute ageism problem hurting young workers

Laura Whaley on TikTok

Jack Corbitt, unionize in 4 easy steps

Labourettes on TikTok

Young TikTik creators organize campaign against Amazon to support workers union

Zaid Khan on TikTok

People Over Prime

Register for CUPE Ontario Fall School

Uber Eats, DoorDash, Skip the Dishes and Foodora. You probably have heard of all these online apps that can help you get food delivered straight to your door. You can shop from hundreds of restaurants and not even leave your couch. These apps are fast, easy and right at your fingertips. They were popular pre-pandemic, but then boomed even more during the pandemic. But what do we know about the workers? The people behind the apps. The people who pick up actually deliver your food to you? In this episode Elise, Tiffany and Brittany talk about who they are and what challenges they face on a day to day basis when just trying to make ends meet for their family plus have an interview with Jennifer Scott, President of Gig Workers United.  

Links:

Uber Game:  https://ig.ft.com/uber-game/

Hustled podcast: https://www.thestar.com/podcasts/hustled.html

Gig Workers United:  https://gigworkersunited.ca/ 

Support Gig Workers: https://gigworkersunited.ca/support.html#:~:text= Post%20a%20message%20of%20solidarity,and%20%40GigWorkersUnite%20(Twitter). 

What it was like to be a gig worker during the pandemic: https://knowledge.insead.edu/economics-finance/what-its-like-to-be-a-gig-worker-during-a-pandemic-16161

Gig Workers Bill of Rights: https://gigworkersunited.ca/gig-economy.html#precarious 

UFCW & Uber :  https://www.rankandfile.ca/ufcw-uber-deal/ ; https://jacobin.com/2022/02/ufcw-representation-collective-bargaining-independent-contractors-gig-drivers 

Twitter: @GigWorkersUnite @palimpsestJenn

In this month’s episode, Tiffany, Brittany, and Elise chat about union revitalization, strikes across Europe known as the Summer of Our Discontent, organizing for possible strike or job action, and strike myths. They will also conduct an exciting interview with the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU) President Laura Walton on the work they are doing organizing for power.

https://twitter.com/UnionDrip

Are young workers ready to save the US labour movement? | LSE Business Review

Efforts to unionize Amazon workers in Canada ramp up in Ontario as Teamsters target Hamilton | CBC News

Barista Uprising

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/30/1106884406/coffee-shop-starbucks-baristas-union-election-cafe

Britain Gears up for a Summer of Labour Discontent: https://www.news-next.in/britain-gears-up-for-a-summer-of-labor-discontent/

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers response to Opinium poll: https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-on-opinium-poll/

Repeal Bill 124 petition: https://cupe.on.ca/repealbill124/

CUPE 998, Busting Myths about Unions

Summer of Labour Unrest expected as Inflation Soars and Contracts Run Out

In this CUPE Cast episode Elise, Tiffany and Brittany chat about June being Indigenous History month. They focus on Indigenous celebrations, events, meaningful land acknowledgments, and  they have an interview with Leila Paugh - the CUPE Ontario Indigenous Council Chair. 

Content warning: They cover the Missing and murdered indigenous women, girls ad two spirit people as well as the residential school system. 

Links: 

Experiences of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women in Canada: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2022001/article/00004-eng.htm

Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Volumes 1a and 1b: https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/final-report/

The REDress Project by Jaime Black: https://www.jaimeblackartist.com/exhibitions/

Association Proposals Would Advance Efforts to Indigenize and Decolonize Brock

https://www.bufa.ca/bufa-bargaining-backgrounder-indigenization-and-decolonization/ 

https://academicmatters.ca/indigenization-through-collective-bargaining-lessons-and-ideas-for-academic-staff-associations/  Decolonizing Labour Law: A Conversation with Professor Adelle Blackett

https://twailr.com/decolonizing-labour-law-a-conversation-with-professor-adelle-blackett/ 

Walking the Talk guide: https://cupe.ca/walking-talk-practical-guide-reconciliation-cupe-locals 

Video of qajaq program AIP laureate: 

https://vimeo.com/271695271

AIP: 

https://arcticinspirationprize.ca

CUPE Ontario Indigenous Council

https://cupe.on.ca/committees/indigenous-council/

OFL Land Acknowledgements with Daniel Stevens 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijd1NQt7WCc

Orange Shirt Day Story and Resources: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-society-resources.html

Della’s Story, online escape room: https://usay.ca/dellas-story/

U of Alberta course Indigenous Canada: https://www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html

In this episode Tiffany, Brittany and Elise are joined by a LIVE audience for a special episode with the Niagara District CUPE Councils Women In Solidarity committee. They discuss the importance of Women Committees, menstrual equity, the history of Women’s contribution in the Labour Movement and have a live Q&A with the audience.

The CUPE Cast would like to give a huge shoutout and thank you to the Niagara District CUPE Councils Women In Solidarity committee for all of their support and work in bringing this live episode to life.

Show notes:

Niagara District CUPE Council: https://niagara.cupe.ca/?fbclid=IwAR2zlJ3NBLZK4rQTH7b9jTHN8E0HfalZqJuAdObAJqQmgPT65_G61DsCBig

Sign up for CUPE Educations courses here: https://cupe.ca/unioneducation

United Way Period Promise in Niagara: https://periodpromiseniagara.com/

Follow Victoria Alexander on Instagram @theelephantinthewomb

Follow Sandy Hudson on Twitter @sandela

Follow Nora Loreto on Twitter @nolore

In this episode Tiffany, Elise and Brittany talkabout how Doug Ford’s cuts have personally affected each of us and how it has impacted education workers, municipal workers, health care workers and workers in the university sector and social service sector. We’ll also talk about how we can take action to ensure Doug Ford and his government are a one-term premier.

Pledge to join one of the May Day actions happening across the province and pledge to vote on June 2nd here: https://ofl.ca/action/workers-first-pledge/

Libraries: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/funding-for-ontario-s-two-library-services-cut-by-half-by-ford-government-1.4385947

https://mobile.twitter.com/jeffrey_canton/status/1118977131416031236

OSBCU Report: https://osbcu.ca/news/ten-years-of-cuts/

Schools: https://pressprogress.ca/ontario-pc-mpp-denounces-woke-elementary-school-students/

Climate:

https://ecojustice.ca/gen-climate-action-our-biggest-climate-lawsuit-yet/

https://thenarwhal.ca/doug-ford-ontario-environment-explainer/

Unions are hotter now than ever before. Workers everywhere are wanting to organize their workplaces or get involved with their unions. The pandemic has shone a light on harshened inequities in our workplaces and unions are there to have your back. In this episode we will discuss how to form a union with an interview with CUPE National Union Organizers Daniela Scarpelli & Kristy Davidson, look at some ongoing union drives, and catch up on fun pop culture labour movement tidbits.

Chinook Starbucks: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220119005715/en/Calgary-Chinook-Centre-Starbucks-Workers-File-Application-to-Join-Steelworkers-Union

Starbucks: https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/money/business/2022/03/09/starbucks-unionization-efforts-memphis-employees-fired-william-barber-march-poor-peoples-campaign/9411192002/

Petsmart: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/petsmart-unionizes-toronto

Twitter: @PetsmartUnion

In this episode of the CUPE Cast, Tiffany, Brittany and Elise were inspired by Valentine's Day and share their 10 reasons why they love the labour movement. Everything from fighting for child labour laws and fighting back against the bad bosses are discussed. Hopefully, at the end of this episode, you love the labour movement as much as they do.

Transcription:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p_CFGF2ruRY_vXVHpw9Uopwin8z2Gs0Qf31OVG_aBBc/edit?usp=sharing

Show Notes:

CUPE Ontario’s Anti-Racism Organizational Action Plan: https://cupe.on.ca/aroap/

Sign up for CUPE Educationals and Training here: https://cupe.ca/union-education

Watch CUPE Connects! Webinar, Fighting Against Anti-Black Racism in the Workplace here:

Article - Raising the floor: https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/raising-the-floor

Article - Sticking it to the smiling goat: beating a Bad Boss https://www.rankandfile.ca/sticking-it-to-the-smiling-goat-beating-a-bad-boss/

Study - Colour-Coded Retirement: an Intersectional Analysis of Retirement Income and Savings in Canada: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/ColourCodedRetirement

It’s 2022 and the dumpster is burning, but so is the planet. It’s a lot like the movie “Don’t Look Up!” We will be discussing all the things you may have wondered about climate justice but didn’t know where to look. We will be breaking down terms and climate justice framework: what is a just transition, who is impacted by environmental racism, how will this be a provincial election issue, and how does this tie into the movie “Don’t Look Up?” It can be so overwhelming, we will try our best to guide you through piece by piece.

Show notes:

Critical review of Don't Look Up by Zeeshan Aleem, MSNBC Opinion Columnist: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/what-movie-don-t-look-gets-wrong-about-tackling-climate-n1286717

2018 Working Paper “Trade Unions and Just Transition: The Search for a Transformative Politics - Link recently removed

CUPE National Environment Policy: https://cupe.ca/cupe-national-environment-policy

Green Economy Network, One Million Jobs campaign: https://greeneconomynet.ca/one-million-climate-jobs/

CUPE Climate Change Emergency Declaration: https://cupe.ca/sites/cupe/files/climate_change_declaration_eng.pdf

Ontario NDP Green New Democratic Deal: https://www.ontariondp.ca/greennewdeal

Government of Canada Long-term Drinking Water Advisories: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1614387410146/1614387435325

Sudbury Star article featuring Autumn Peltier: https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/local-news/clean-water-for-first-nations-critical-during-pandemic-activists

Sign up to volunteer or support 350.org here: https://350.org

Sign up to volunteer or support Fridays for Future here: https://fridaysforfuture.org

It’s the last podcast of the year, so let’s get to know your CUPE Cast hosts better! Listen in as the table turns and CUPE Ontario Young Worker Chair Moe Alqasem interviews Elise, Brittany, and Tiffany. We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and an amazing New Year!

Article about the blockade in Guelph for Workers United that Tiffany mentioned:

Gig Workers United: