UFCW Women's Network empowers through leadership, training

Click on the image above to see the photo gallery.

San Diego, California – December 8, 2014 – Dozens of members, officers, and staff from UFCW Canada's Women's Advisory Committee, National Office, and Local Unions recently attended the UFCW Women’s Network Convention in San Diego, California. Under the theme of "Empowering Women Through Leadership and Training," the convention focused on the challenges and opportunities facing UFCW sisters across Canada and the United States.

Like the UFCW Canada National Council Women's Advisory Committee, the UFCW Women’s Network works to motivate and encourage women members to become more active in their union and their communities.

"The UFCW Women’s Network Convention provides space for women in our union to network and become encouraged, inspired, and empowered to change the labour movement and create a more inclusive and representative UFCW," said Nancy Quiring, chair of the UFCW Canada Women's Advisory Committee.

Delegates to the four-day convention participated in a range of exciting workshops that discussed building power for better contracts, making politics work for women and their unions, recruiting women union members to organize workers, and empowering women to recognize their power as leaders within the labour movement.

"The labour movement has to change to meet the needs of members," said Marc Perrone, the UFCW International Secretary-Treasurer. "We need to sit down and listen to what is important to women union members, then act on those conversations," he added.

"Gender equality is not just a women’s issue; it is a human rights issue," said Rhonda Nelson, the International Chair of the UFCW Women's Network. "We must look at the challenges that face women in our union, and look at our leadership positions to see that there are many opportunities for improvement."