March 8th CUPE Statement on International Women's Day

March 8 is International Women’s Day. Across the country, CUPE will hold events to honour the accomplishments of women and renew our commitment to gender equality.

CUPE has a number of campaigns that address women’s rights as workers, community members and users of public services. We encourage you and your local to use International Women’s Day to promote and participate in these initiatives.

Host a kitchen table conversation about child care, tell us your experience and hopes, and encourage others to share their stories. Visit RethinkChildcare.ca for a guide to host conversations.

Fill out the Canadian Labour Congress-sponsored survey on domestic violence and the workplace, and encourage others to do the same. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a draw for a tablet computer.

Tell your MP why health care is a critical issue for women as workers, unpaid caregivers and patients – and fight the $36 billion planned federal cuts. Contact mmccarthy@cupe.ca for a lobby kit and find out more at cupe.ca/health-care-public-solutions.   

Sign CUPE’s Enough is Enough petition calling upon the federal government to ensure Indigenous peoples in Canada have access to safe, clean drinking water. Access to clean water improves the health of families, and is central to women’s equality. CUPE has partnered with the Assembly of First Nations and the Safe Drinking Water Foundation to promote this campaign across Canada.

These are just some of the ways CUPE is recognizing women’s work and fighting for gender justice at work and in our communities.

On International Women’s Day, we applaud our sisters’ work, and we re-dedicate ourselves to gender equality.