EROC

December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

CUPE 998 attended a Memorial Lunch today to remember December 6 is a day of national significance in Canada. It is a day to remember the 14 women who lost their lives in the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montréal, and to honour all women and girls who have experienced gender-based violence. CUPE 998 President carried a candle during the candle light service.

Today is not only about remembrance. It is also a call to action. Violence against women remains a serious issue in our communities, workplaces, and homes. We each have a role to play in challenging harmful attitudes, supporting survivors, and working toward a future where all women can live safely and free from violence.

On this day, we ask our members to take a moment to reflect, to wear a white ribbon in solidarity, and to engage in conversations that promote respect, accountability, and meaningful change.

Our union remains committed to standing against all forms of violence and discrimination. We will continue to advocate for safer workplaces, stronger protections, and greater supports for those affected.

Remembering the past means taking responsibility for the future. Today, we stand in remembrance — and we stand in action.

In Manitoba, if you are a worker and you (or a dependent) are the victim of interpersonal violence, you have the right to take leave from work (including up to five days with pay) in order to get help. Read more here 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

As we approach the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 30th,in Winnipeg  and in Brandon it is important to take some time to reflect on the painful impact of residential schools and commit ourselves to reconciliation and justice for all Indigenous people.

CUPE’s National Human Rights Branch has put together the information below and I would encourage everyone to read through it, reflect, and share it with your locals and fellow CUPE activists. read more

In solidarity,
Jonny Maria – Equal Rights & Opportunity Chair

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – September 30

Each year, September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to the children who never returned home, Survivors of residential schools, and their families and communities.

 

Public commemoration of this tragic and painful history—and the ongoing impacts of residential schools—is a vital part of the reconciliation process. This federal statutory holiday was established through legislative amendments made by Parliament.

Orange Shirt Day

Both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day take place on September 30.

Orange Shirt Day, led by Indigenous communities, raises awareness of the intergenerational impacts of residential schools on children, families, and communities. It is a time to honour Indigenous children who were lost in the residential school system and to stand in solidarity with Survivors.

The orange shirt symbolizes the loss of culture, freedom, and self-esteem experienced by many Indigenous children. It is also a reminder that Every Child Matters.

How to Participate

On September 30, CUPE Local 998 encourages all members and Canadians to:

  • Wear orange to honour Survivors and remember the children who never came home.
  • Consider a beaded orange shirt necklace as a powerful symbol of remembrance and resilience.
  • Share your reflections and how you mark this day on social media using the hashtag #NDTR.
  • Download and use educational resources to help spread awareness and continue learning about the impacts of residential schools.
  • Events in Manitoba 

Together, let us commit to truth, healing, and reconciliation.

The CUPE Manitoba Human Rights Committee

Sisters, Brothers, and Friends,

The CUPE Manitoba Human Rights Committee is pleased to invite you to a special guided tour of Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada’s LGBT Purge at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Date: Monday, September 29, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Snacks and discussion to follow

Together, we will reflect on a powerful chapter of Canadian history—one marked by injustice, resilience, and the fight for equality. From the 1950s through the 1990s, the Government of Canada systematically investigated, harassed, and dismissed 2SLGBTQI+ members of the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, and the federal public service. Known as the LGBT Purge, these actions devastated thousands of lives but also ignited courage, resistance, and advocacy that reshaped our country.

We hope you will join us for this meaningful experience . Read more here

CUPE 998 Equal Rights and Opportunity Committee – 2025 Member Engagement

At CUPE Local 998, the Equal Rights and Opportunity (ERO) Committee remains committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and equitable workplace for all members. This year, the committee has been actively engaging with our membership through a variety of initiatives focused on education, awareness, and collaboration.

2025 Member Engagement Highlights:

  • Awareness Involvement: The ERO Committees involvement on different campaigns around International Women’s Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, National Indigenous Peoples Day, and Pride Month is some of the involvement the ERO Committee has been involved in highlighting equity issues and amplifying diverse voices within our union.
  • Lunch & Learn Events: We are exploring options on hosting a series of virtual and in-person sessions covering topics like workplace discrimination, union activism, intersectionality, allyship, and inclusive language—creating safe spaces for open dialogue and learning.
  • Representation and Collaboration: Members of the ERO Committee have partnered with other CUPE 998 committees to ensure equal rights are a consideration in bargaining, health and safety, and education planning.

As always, the strength of our committee comes from the involvement of our members. If you are passionate about fairness, inclusion, and equity, we encourage you to reach out and get involved. Together, we can continue to build a stronger, more inclusive union.

If you have questions or would like to connect with the ERO Committee, please contact us through your CUPE 998 representative or send an email to Committee Chair Jonny Maria

In solidarity,
CUPE 998 Equal Rights and Opportunity Committee

 

Celebrate Pride with CUPE Manitoba and CUPE Local 998 at the Winnipeg Pride Parade!

Join us on Sunday, June 1, 2025, as we come together to celebrate inclusivity, equality, and love. Pride is not just a parade—it’s a powerful reminder that we all deserve to live and work in a world free from discrimination and hate. Let’s show our solidarity and stand up for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights!

Details:

  • Meeting Time: 10:00 a.m.
  • March Begins: 11:00 a.m.
  • Meeting Place: CUPE Group – Row B on Memorial Blvd.

CUPE will be handing out fans and visors to the crowd during the march. If you’re able to help distribute, your support would be greatly appreciated!

Together, let’s make Pride a celebration of love, hope, and unity for all. See you there!

 

Join CUPE 998 at the 2025 Winnipeg Pride Festival!

CUPE Local 998 and Equal Rights and Opportunity Chair Jonny Maria are proud to stand in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQI+ community during Pride Month and invites all members to join us in celebrating diversity, inclusion, and equality at the 2025 Winnipeg Pride Festival, taking place from May 23 to June 1, 2025.

To mark the beginning of Pride festivities, Union Centre will be holding a Flag Raising Ceremony on Friday, May 23 at 10:00 a.m. We encourage all members who are able to attend to come out and take part in this meaningful celebration as we raise the Pride flag in unity and support. Click here for more 

Join Pride at the Leg on Thursday May 29th from 12:00 – 1:30 

Let’s show our CUPE 998 pride and stand together in support of love, rights, and acceptance for all.

More Pride events and updates to follow

Together, we celebrate. Together, we are stronger.
Happy Pride!

International Transgender Day of Visibility and The Two-Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility in Manitoba

Join Local 998 and Union Activists from across Manitoba for the International Transgender Day of Visibility

Union Center at 275 Broadway will be holding a Flag Raising Ceremony at 10:00am in recognition of Transgender Visibility 

The International Transgender Day of Visibility was founded in 2009 by Rachel Crandall-Crocker a trans activist, psychotherapist and executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group Transgender Michigan. Rachel wanted a reason to come together and feel joy with other members of the trans community. “I wanted a day that we could focus on the living,” Crandall-Crocker said. “And where we could have rallies all as one community all the way around the world.”

On May 30, 2024, The Two-Spirit and Transgender Day of Visibility Act was passed in the Manitoba legislature designating March 31 an annual day to recognize two-spirit and transgender persons. The bill was brought forward by Logan Oxenham MLA for Kirkfield Park in Winnipeg and Canada’s first transgender politician elected to provincial, territorial or federal office.

“Two-Spirit” and “Trans” identities are intertwined with Indigenous cultures and the LGBTQ+ movement, with “Two-Spirit” emerging as a term in 1990 to describe Indigenous people who embody both masculine and feminine spirits, while “Trans” is a broader term for individuals whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth. We also recognize that these identities and many other gender nonconforming identities have existed throughout recorded history and beyond.

Two-Spirit:

  • Origins:

The term “Two-Spirit” emerged in 1990 at the Third Annual Inter-Tribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference in Winnipeg, coined by Elder Myra Laramee to describe Indigenous people who embody both masculine and feminine spirits.

  • Traditional Roles:

In many Indigenous cultures, Two-Spirit people held important social and spiritual roles, often as healers, visionaries, and community leaders, and were respected for their ability to bridge the gap between genders.

  • Colonial Impact:

European colonization and the imposition of Western gender norms led to the suppression of Two-Spirit identities and roles, with many Two-Spirit people facing discrimination and marginalization.

  • Contemporary Significance:

Today, “Two-Spirit” is an umbrella term used by some Indigenous people to describe their gender, sexual, and spiritual identity, and it is a way to reclaim and celebrate Indigenous traditions and identities.

  • Not a Universal Term:

Two-Spirit is a pan-Indigenous term, and not all Indigenous cultures use it or have the same understanding of it. Many Indigenous cultures have their own specific terms and concepts for gender-nonconforming people.

 Trans:

  • Broad Term:

“Trans” is a broader term used to describe individuals whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth, encompassing a wide range of identities, including transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer.

  • Historical Context:

The concept of gender variance has existed in many cultures throughout history, but the term “transgender” emerged in the late 20th century to describe individuals who identify as a gender different from their assigned sex.

  • Struggle for Recognition:

Trans people have historically faced discrimination and marginalization, and the struggle for recognition and acceptance continues today.

  • Intersectionality:

Trans identities intersect with other identities, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status, and trans people of color, Two-Spirit people, and other marginalized groups experience unique forms of discrimination.

  • Advocacy and Activism:

Trans people have played a significant role in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, advocating for their rights and challenging gender norms.

Additional resources:

CUPE’s Bargaining Beyond the Binary: A negotiating guide for trans inclusion and gender diversity.

CUPE’s info sheet on Pronouns and Gender Diversity.

Truth and reconciliation: CUPE taking action through collective bargaining

Canadian Labour Congress Workers in Transition Guide

 

Addressing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

There have been some concerns brought forward by our members regarding the future of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and what that means for our local. Your CUPE Local 998 executive is strongly committed to a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive workplace culture.

CUPE 998 has a seat at the table with other unions and employee representatives on the Manitoba Hydro Diversity Council. This group discusses various DEI opportunities and concerns faced by employees. The council also supports learning and growth opportunities and activities for all employees within our organization that contribute to a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all.

Manitoba Hydro is committed to DEI awareness, education and support within our workplace.  Examples include the creation of employee resource groups (ERGs) to engage employees in generating awareness and a supportive workplace culture; mandatory anti-racism training provided by the provincial government; and promoting DEI in the workplace through events and activities shared through internal communications and on a New Diversity Calendar which highlights upcoming diversity days and events.

Our local is very active on several human rights committees covering all levels of engagement, including provincial, national, and global. These groups have been actively fighting against all forms of discrimination and hate for several years now through protests, counter protests, donations, and awareness events. We are committed to continuing this fight to improve and protect the human rights of workers and to educate our local communities on the importance of DEI in our society.

CUPE follows very strict protocols when complaints are made, and it is expected that all members adhere to the Equality Statement provided by CUPE National.

This year our local 998 (EROC) Equal Rights and Opportunity Committee plans on increasing our focus on member engagement so that we can build a stronger active local of diverse union activists through education, outreach, and visibility.

If you are experiencing any form of hate or discrimination, have questions regarding what you have read or want to know how to become more involved in our union please message us at ASK CUPE.

In Solidarity,
Your Local 998 Executive

 

Union Involvement Starts with You – Join a Committee!

At CUPE Local 998, we firmly believe in the power of working together as a team to achieve meaningful change and support our membership. Our union thrives on the active involvement of members like you, and together, we can continue to strengthen our collective voice.

We value our members and the diverse skills, perspectives, and energy you bring. By participating in one of our committees, you’ll have the opportunity to play an essential role in shaping the future of our union while addressing the issues that matter most to us all.

If you’re interested in joining a committee, we encourage you to reach out to the Committee Chairs or contact the CUPE Office. We’d love to hear from you!

The Committees are as follows:

  • Communications
  • Bylaws, Policies & Procedures
  • Education
  • Equal Rights & Opportunity
  • Grievance
  • Membership
  • Pension & Superannuation
  • Trustees
  • Wages & Agreements
  • Workplace Health & Safety
  • Political Action
  • Strategic Planning
  • Job Evaluation

Your voice matters, and your contributions help make our union stronger. Let’s work together to build a better, more inclusive, and equitable workplace for everyone.

If you are interested in joining a committee, please send an email the CUPE Office indicating the committee you wish to join. Submissions will be reviewed by the respective Committee Chair.