For over 40 years, United Way and the Canadian labour movement have been partners, working towards the common goal of ensuring workers and their families have access to life-changing social services across their communities.
At their core, unions and the labour movement have been, and continue to be, integral forces for democracy. In both the workplace and government, they advocate for better social, economic and environmental policies, and address unigornable social issues that for many, can be difficult to talk about. Every day, we see how the community-minded actions of our collective, both large and small, add up to substantial and sustainable social change.
Together, United Way and our labour partners believe that local love can transform lives; that it builds strong, healthy, inclusive and active neighbourhoods for everyone – no matter who they are, or where they are from.
Behind the achievements of this partnership are people who dedicate their lives and careers to advocating for social change.
Neal Adolph (Director, CLC Labour Participation), Anu Chouhan (MLA Raj Chouhan’s daughter, accepting on his behalf), Steve Hunt (Director, United Steelworkers, District 3), Joey Hartman (Former President of the Vancouver and District Labour Council), and John Crawford (President and CEO, Pacific Blue Cross) at the 25th Annual Labour Appreciation Night.
Last night, three outstanding community and labour champions were recognized at the 25th Annual Labour Appreciation Night held at the Metrotown Hilton and presented by Pacific Blue Cross. The event was hosted by United Way British Columbia, the Vancouver and District Labour Council and the New Westminster & District Labour Council.
Each individual is a strong advocate for our communities and works every day to empower those individuals who live, work and play in the Lower Mainland.
The 2017 Community Service Award winners are:
Joe Morris Labour Community Service Award – Steve Hunt
Steve has served as United Steelworkers (USW) District 3 Director since 2004 and has been re-elected four times. As a tireless health and safety advocate his entire working life, Steve co-chaired a Steelworkers Forest Fatalities Summit in 2005, after 43 workers died in the forest industry, reviewing the industry’s safety record and made recommendations for improvements.
Jeannie Kilby (President, CUPE Local 402), Steve Hunt and George Davison (President, BC Federation of Post-Secondary Educators.)
Steve currently serves as Co-Chair of the IndustriAll Mining Council and most recently co-chaired the International Labour Organization’s Convention on Mining, which for the first time enshrined the three rights – the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to refuse unsafe work – for mining workers around the world.
He also served for many years on United Way’s Board of Directors, including as Board Chair during the 2014/15 term. His leadership oversaw an increased partnership between United Way, labour and the Untied Steelworkers, and in 2017 he and USW District 3 were recognized with a National Partnership Builder Award.
Vancouver & District Labour Council (VDLC) Syd Thompson Community Service Award – Joey Hartman
Joey Hartman kicked off her activism career in the late Seventies, when she was among a group of feminists who demonstrated outside of Army and Navy, protesting the fact that store paid women less than men for identical work – stocking shelves. After a few weekends of very visible demonstrations on East Hastings Street, the store decided to obey the equal pay laws – laws that had been in place for many years.
Current VDLC President Stephen Von Sychowski and Joey Hartman.
Joey has served as the Secretary Treasurer of VMREU, now CUPE 15, HEU Assistant to the President and Staff Representative for privatized health care workers and as VDLC president between 2011 and 2018. She has also volunteered as a Board member for numerous organizations including Co-Development Canada, Metro Vancouver Alliance and United Way British Columbia.
New Westminster & District Labour Council’s Labour Community Service Award – Raj Chouhan
Raj Chouhan is the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds. He was first elected to office in 2005, and was then re-elected in 2009, 2013, and 2017.Raj served as Assistant Deputy Speaker and has served as Official Opposition critic for labour, human rights, multiculturalism and immigration.
Janet Andrews (Secretary-Treasurer, New Westminster and District Labour Council) and Raj’s daughter Anu, who accepted the award on his behalf.
Raj is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers’ Union and served as the director of bargaining for the Hospital Employees Union for 18 years. Raj also served as a member of the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. A founding member of the B.C. Organization to Fight Racism, Raj has worked relentlessly in promoting human rights and racial equality. He has served as the vice-president of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003.
Lucky event attendees were gifted Pacific Blue Cross health dollars.
As presenting sponsor of the 25th annual Labour Appreciation Night, Pacific Blue Cross has a long standing partnership with the Labour movement. Before the existence of universal health care, Pacific Blue Cross’ founding organizations administered group plans that covered the medical and dental costs of union members. The not-for-profit organization powers the health and well-being of one third of all British Columbians, and we are grateful for their ongoing support to improving the health and well-being of our community!
Learn more about the United Way and Labour partnership and how we’re working together to build strong communities across the Lower Mainland.
Topics : Labour, Local love
