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Bulletin 2010-09
National Representative, Women’s and Human Rights

The Canadian Labour Congress has a vacancy for an experienced National Representative in the Women’s and Human Rights Department. This position is based in Ottawa. The successful candidate will work under the direction of the Director, Women’s and Human Rights.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• support the work of the CLC through the implementation of organizational priorities for work in the area of women’s and human rights;
• participate in the development of CLC policies related to women’s and human rights issues;
• conduct research on assigned issues;
• write and edit reports;
• write copy for web and social media components of campaigns and issues;
• maintain relations with Canadian affiliates, NGOs and government departments involved in related work;
• work with other departments and with regional offices to integrate women’s and human rights issues into national campaigns and to implement the Department’s programs, projects and campaigns at all levels;
• participate in advocacy and lobbying work with the federal government;
• analyze the impact of federal and provincial government positions and decisions on working women, their families and communities;
• participate in the development and implementation of work plans and budgets;
• promote the work of the CLC in the area of women’s equality and human rights;
• initiate and support activities with social justice partners at the national level;
• represent the CLC at meetings with non-labour organizations and government agencies;
• promote a greater understanding of women’s and human rights issues within the labour movement and in the community, nationally and internationally;
• encourage and assist affiliates, Federations of Labour and Labour Councils to participate in activities to improve the status of women, women of colour, aboriginal women, young women, people with disabilities, and members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered community.

Qualifications

The successful applicant will have:

• sound knowledge of the Canadian labour movement and our social and economic equality goals;
• an understanding of current and historic issues related to women’s and human rights;
• demonstrated ability to organize campaigns in the labour movement and with our social partners;
• recognized success in on-going advocacy and lobbying at the national level;
• demonstrated successful experience working in teams in a collegial context;
• excellent analytical, writing and presentation skills;
• experience in the effective use of web and social media to conduct campaigns, including the ability to write for these formats;
• administrative and budgeting skills;
• demonstrated ability to work with other organizations inside the labour movement (eg., Federations of Labour, Labour Councils and affiliates) and outside the labour movement, in a cooperative environment;
• ability to integrate a feminist and anti-racist perspective into union work;
• successful experience in programme and project development demonstrated over a number of years, including implementation and reporting, and the demonstrated ability to organize and carry out several projects concurrently;
• the ability to work within CLC structures including national affiliated unions and provincial and territorial federations of labour;
• the ability to travel within Canada and internationally;
• the ability to work in Canada’s two official languages is an asset.

There is a requirement to travel associated with this position.

The starting salary for this position is $75,317.51 (plus benefits) under the collective agreement (CEP/CULR-1).

The Canadian Labour Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of colour, aboriginal workers, workers with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered workers are encouraged to apply for this position.

Applications for this position will be accepted until October 15, 2010. Refer to the above bulletin number in the subject line of your message and send applications to hr@clc-ctc.ca.

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Call for Applications for the 32nd Annual International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP)

Dear Friends,

Equitas will be holding its 32nd International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP) in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada, from June 5th to June 24th, 2011. This annual, intensive three-week program brings together around 120 participants from approximately 60 countries.

GOAL OF THE PROGRAM

The goal of the IHRTP is to strengthen the capacity of human rights organizations to undertake educational efforts aimed at building a global culture of human rights. The IHRTP aims at enabling participant organizations to undertake more effective human rights education activities. To this end, the Program places a strong emphasis on transfer of learning and on follow-up activities. Participants will be asked to develop an individual plan for putting their learning into action as part of the training.

CURRICULUM MODEL

The curriculum model is based on principles of adult experiential learning, in which participants and facilitators engage in a process of mutual teaching and learning. Participants work for the most part in groups of about 15 with a facilitator whose role is to provide guidance in achieving the Program objectives. In addition, internationally recognized human rights experts are also invited to give presentations and participate in panel discussions throughout the three-week session.

PROGRAM CONTENT

The IHRTP is an intermediate-level program that focuses on international human rights standards, current human rights issues and human rights education strategies. The exploration of human rights principles and instruments, ongoing critical reflection and inquiry and extensive sharing of experiences allow participants to strengthen their capacity to engage in effective human rights education.

*Week 1

Participants will get to know the members of their working group and engage in activities that lay the groundwork for developing a productive group dynamic based on mutual respect. They will become familiar with the overall Program content and methodology and begin a process of reflection on their individual societies, the human rights work of their organizations and their own role within those organizations. Participants will also compare their roles as human rights activists/educators and reflect on the universality of rights.

*Week 2

Participants will begin the week discussing issues of particular interest, leading to an examination of their roles as human rights workers and educators in the current global context. Through case studies and discussions, participants will examine major international human rights instruments in order to explore the usefulness of these instruments in their work.

*Week 3

Regional workshops will provide participants from the same geographic region the opportunity to work together to examine key components of effective monitoring and advocacy and the role of these activities in human rights education. Participants will synthesize previous themes and examine emerging human rights issues. Participants will also become familiar with methods of evaluating educational activities

ORGANIZATION AND PARTICIPANT PROFILES

Organizations that nominate candidates must be representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), national human rights institutions, government bodies or education institution; have a demonstrated commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights; be involved in human rights education activities, such as training sessions, workshops, public awareness campaigns, advocacy, monitoring and be committed to providing opportunities for their Candidate to apply the knowledge and skills gained in the Program within the organization.

Candidates from qualifying organizations must be active members of their organization for at least 2 years; be in a position to influence the human rights education work of the organization; have a knowledge of human rights principles and major international instruments; be committed to transferring knowledge and skills gained during the Program to colleagues and to others with whom they work; be sensitive to the issues which arise when working in multicultural groups, and respectful of diversity and be proficient in either English or French.

PROGRAM LOCATION AND DATES

The IHRTP will be held from June 5th to June 24th, 2011 at John Abbott College in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada.

PARTICIPATION FEE

The participation fee is $5,300 Canadian. This includes tuition, program materials, accommodation, meals, and emergency medical insurance. There are a limited number of bursaries available.

HOW TO APPLY

Your application must include:

* The completed Application Form (Part A completed by the Director of the Candidate’s organization; Part B completed by the Candidate)

* The Memorandum of Agreement duly signed by the Candidate and the director of the Candidate’s organization

* Two supporting letters from national and/or international human rights organizations (other than the Candidate’s) familiar with the Candidate’s work and/or the work of his or her organization

* A brochure (and/or mission statement) describing the Candidate’s organization

All Application documents can be obtained by visiting the Equitas website at www.equitas.org or by contacting the IHRTP Team at ihrtp-pifdh@equitas.org.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS NOVEMBER 21ST, 2010. We encourage all candidates to submit their Application documents as soon as possible.

Ian Hamilton
Executive Director
Equitas
Centre international d’éducation aux droits humains /
International Centre for Human Rights Education
666 Sherbrooke ouest, Bureau 1100
Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1E7
Tel: +1.514.954.0382; Fax: +1.514.954.0659
www.equitas.org

Agricultural Deaths Preventable: Migrant Advocacy group calls on Provincial Government to Protect Workers: Snap inspections, Coroner’s Inquest, and Criminal Investigation needed to show Zero Tolerance for Migrant Fatalities

Toronto – Justicia For Migrant Workers (J4MW), a migrant worker advocacy group is saddened to learn of the latest tragedy facing the migrant worker community. On Friday September 10, 2010 J4MW learnt that two Jamaican migrant agricultural workers died as a result of workplaces injuries suffered at Filsinger Farms near Owen Sound, Ontario. “We are aggrieved by this tragedy,” states Tzazna Miranda Leal an organizer with Justicia for Migrant Workers, “We mourn this loss, and we send our condolences to the families of these workers” continues Miranda Leal.

While details of the fatalities are pending due to an ongoing investigation by the Ministry of Labour, the Jamaican government is reporting that Ralston White and Paul Roach may have died from the inhalation of toxic fumes. Health and safety violations are an everyday occurrence for migrant workers. From chemical and pesticides exposure, to faulty equipment, to workplace bullying and harassment, migrant workers from across the province have described countless examples of dangers while working.

It is critical to examine whether or not these men received safety equipment, what education and training they received or if they were provided information relating to their rights under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. J4MW further argues that the structure of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which employ approximately 30,000 migrant farm workers in Canada, denies migrant agricultural workers labour mobility and the ability to exert rights. Fear of reprimand–firings, repatriations/deportations and permanent disbarment from working in Canada–is a constant concern for many workers, whose employment and ability to work in Canada depends largely on their employers’ approval.

J4MW is urging the Minister of the Labour to consider the following options in addressing this tragedy: Snap inspections for all workplaces and accommodations where migrant workers live and work; a coroner’s inquest into the details relating to these workplace deaths; an appeals mechanism built into the SAWP and TFW so that migrant workers cannot be arbitrarily and unilaterally repatriated to their homeland (anti-reprisal protection); increased labour rights and protections for all migrant workers;  and a criminal investigation into this workplace fatality as mandated by section 217.1 of the criminal code of Canada. The code states that:

Everyone who undertakes, or has the authority, to direct how another person does work or performs a task is under a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm to that person, or any other person, arising from that work or task.

Every year over 300 workers die in occupational related fatalities across Ontario.  Countless others are maimed or injured. Agriculture remains one of the most dangerous occupations across Canada. Since 1999 there have been 33 reported deaths of migrant workers employed under the auspices of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program in Ontario and 1,129 medical repatriations of SAWP migrants (workers who left Canada because of illness or injuries sustained while in Ontario). The numbers of migrant workplace injuries and deaths are underreported because of premature repatriations and workers dying in their home countries as a result of injuries sustained while working in Canada.

For more information please contact Chris Ramsaroop 647 834 4932- ramsaroopchris@gmail.com
Shane Martinez (416) 971-8832. martines@lao.on.ca