by Anna Ainsworth, President, OPSEU Local 560
We, at OPSEU 560, are embedded in practices and procedures of colonialism. This is hard to deny given that we are part of a colonial nation.
We, as a local, and as Professors, are actively thinking about how to decolonize our practices and approaches. The broader labour movement is also working on re-thinking how we exist and how we act. We are listening to our Indigenous members, and taking their recommendations. If you have recommendations of how we can work on decolonization, we want to hear from you. We understand that the work of decolonization rests on settlers, not on those who have been colonized.
We have taken a few preliminary steps on this road. We, the Colleges and the Union, are in agreement that individuals who identify as Indigenous shall have access to Indigenous arbitrators if they so choose.
At Seneca, your local has worked with HR to have Indigenous mediators upon request.
We are working on training that would be open to everyone on how to engage with Robert’s rules of order, so that more voices can be heard in meetings and the governance of the local.
We plan to have open meetings, so that we can hold more informal conversations with each other and learn from each other.
These are first steps. This will be a long journey, but one we hope we can all take together.