Greetings,
We are thrilled to announce the upcoming 2024 National Women’s Conference!
This year’s theme, “Women Rise” celebrates the countless instances where women have overcome adversity, shattered glass ceilings and forged paths of progress. We rise in our leadership, activism, education and by lifting sisters up. It serves as a call to action to dismantle barriers, challenge stereotypes and advocate for gender equality and justice.
The theme invites reflection on the journey of women’s empowerment while acknowledging both the progress we have made and the ongoing challenges that persist. We celebrate the wins of Reproductive Justice in a National Pharmacare program that includes contraception. We will hear results of the union’s 3-year partnership with Western University’s Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children (CREVAWC) on how sexual harassment and violence impacts workers.
As we gather to celebrate our victories and the resilience of women in our union this year, we will have Unifor National President, Lana Payne, join us to share her reflections on the hard work she has been doing to build a more equitable union for us all.
Over the past two years we have worked hard to elect feminist governments, build more gender inclusive contract language at the bargaining table, add more Unifor Women’s Advocates to our workplaces, and bring women to the table in decision-making spaces.
This year we will focus on the important work needed to end gender-based violence with a focus on political change. The Reflection Walk will give participants a deeper understanding of feminist issues as we explore and learn from each other in small groups.
We have an exciting agenda that will reinvigorate our courage and determination to push forward collectively.
As always Sisters, there is much work to be done together!
Sisters, this conference will be a chance for us all to recharge and soak up the sisterhood as we prepare for the work ahead of us.
Together, let’s build our solidarity, share our stories and empower each other to demand the rights and recognition we deserve in shaping a movement that puts the needs of working-class women front and center.
The 2024 Unifor Women’s Conference will be held at the Unifor Family Education Centre in Port Elgin, Ontario starting Sunday, August 18, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. and ending Wednesday, August 21, 2024 at noon.
The registration desk will be open on Sunday from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and room check-in begins at 3:00 p.m. New delegate orientation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Sisterhood Room.
As always, this conference fills up quickly. Please submit your registration forms early to avoid disappointment.
Please contact the Women’s Department at women@unifor.org if you require additional information. We are looking forward to a great conference.
In solidarity,
Tracey Ramsey
Director, Women’s Department