Rights, Not Wrong conference a great success

By Jane Turner

What happens when you bring together close to three hundred members of various unions, all members of the BC Federation of Labour to discuss human rights and social justice issues? Let’s just say there was enough energy generated on the conference level of the Hotel Vancouver to light up the city for about 10 days. Conference participants listened, learned, talked, debated, and networked for two-and-a-half days.

On April 3–5, 2008, teachers and other trade unionists came together at the BCTF and BC Federation of Labour’s jointly sponsored human rights/social justice conference held in Vancouver. Rights, Not Wrongs: The role of unions in creating a better world keynote speakers included Adele Blackett, Gillian Creese, Chief Ed John, Stephen Lewis, Emmanuel Rozental, Jinny Sims, and Paul Shaker. Workshops ranged from creating social justice unions to justice for migrant workers. There was a roundtable discussion on organizing and a panel presentation asserting that workers’ rights are human rights. There was something for everyone.

Watching the conference delegates gravitate toward the display tables, in particular, the display call "Stand for the Homeless" was one of the highlights. The Stand table, as it came to be known, offered trade unionists kits for creating their own Stands in their communities (www.my-calm.info). Homeless Stands have their roots in the actions of the women in Argentina whose family members disappeared during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983. They stood in the city squares of Buenas Aires. Every week for years they stood, demanding justice from the government.

From the eagerness of the participants for the Stand kits, it was clear that this wasn’t just a place to talk about social justice and human rights. It was an opportunity to get ideas for action. Over 44 members from different union locals around the province bought kits in order to begin their Stand against homelessness. Keep a watch out in your community for activists standing with their blue scarves and banners. Better yet, join them.

Another highlight was the panel presentation, "Workers’ rights are human rights." Chief Ed John, Gillian Creese from UBC, and Dr. Emmanuel Rozental from Columbia all spoke of the interconnection of human rights to their particular topic. Chief John talked about the struggle of Aboriginal people to have their human rights recognized, and the example of Australia, which has recognized and apologized for the historic wrongs done the Aboriginal people of that continent. He contrasted that to our federal government’s opposition to the United Nations resolution to recognize the rights of Aboriginal people worldwide. Gillian Creese’s updated analysis of poverty (www.tinyurl.com/53rjwa) showed that the poorest among us are recent immigrants, women, and women of colour.

Last on the panel was Emmanuel Rozental, a medical doctor from Columbia. His short, 15-minute presentation brought people to tears and to their feet with a standing ovation. Rozental wove the comments of Stephen Lewis, the keynote speaker from the evening before, the remarks of Chief John and Gillian Creese into his presentation on the need for social justice activists to work together and work quickly, as the fate of our earth is hanging in the balance. Connecting Stephen Harper’s blockage of the United Nations’ attempt to declare water as a human right, to the development of the Alberta tar sands oil extraction, Rozental described the urgency of the need for people to take back control of their rights so that we can continue to inhabit our planet, not destroy it.

Participants heard from Stephen Lewis, Canada’s former United Nations’ envoy. Lewis detailed the litany of human rights’ abuses that currently are taking place across the globe. He closed with an exhortation for all of us to become human rights and social justice activists.

In order to help participants change the world, they heard a roundtable discussion on how to organize for social justice. Ten panelists shared their stories, the amusing to the overwhelming, about doing grassroots organizing. Some principles they identified were: be respectful in your work--"nothing about us without us" was the slogan used, keep in mind that we are part of a long line of activists, find the strengths of the people you are working with, value those who are key, and have fun and be creative in your organizing work. The stories from the roundtable were rich and deep. Hopefully they will help the participants make those changes that we know are so necessary.

Everyone who gave a workshop or interacted with others throughout the conference spoke of the need for unions and their members to take on social justice and human rights issues. The BCTF offered the social justice lens as a tool to aid union activists in their work (www.tinyurl.com/6j3z6c). As Dr. Paul Shaker, another keynote speaker, reminded us that "being social justice activists is in our own self-interest" because it creates a better world for ourselves and others.

Jane Turner is an assistant director, BCTF’s Professional and Social Issues Division.