Today and every day, CUPE celebrates women’s union activism.
CUPE women have always been at the forefront of the fight for gender justice. At the bargaining table, through political action, and on the picket lines, women are powerful leaders in our union. CUPE feminists have used collective power to fight for stronger public services, fair wages, employment equity, and better working conditions.
Yet, women are still far more likely to be subjected to violence and harassment at work, especially if they are also young, persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous, or gender-diverse or migrant workers. CUPE is working to end gender-based violence in all its forms – at work, at home, and in our union.
As we fight for gender justice, we recognize that all struggles for human rights are interconnected. Solidarity is a powerful tool, and we unite with women across the globe demanding peace and a fairer world.
To achieve justice for all women, we must dismantle all forms of oppression that women face including racism, transphobia, ableism, homophobia, and colonialism.
This International Women’s Day, CUPE urges members to:
Take action:
- Join Momentum’s Facts Over Fear campaign and learn more about how to stop the spreading of misinformation from the far right about trans youth and adults.
- Join the Canadian Labour Congress Workers Together campaign to express your personal connection to gender justice and your commitment to electing a pro-worker government.
- Take steps to implement CUPE’s Anti-Racism Strategy in your local.
- Encourage women in your local to join committees, to run for elected positions, and to apply to programs for women. CUPE’s Women in Leadership Development (WILD) program is expanding to new regions this year and applications are now open.
Check out:
- CUPE’s Stop Workplace Sexual Violence guide and pamphlet to raise awareness, support survivors and challenge sexual violence.
- CUPE’s bargaining tools on harassment, domestic violence and other equity issues.
- CUPE’s violence prevention kit.
- CUPE’s fact sheet on menstruation, menstrual health, and menopause in the workplace.
- The Disabled Women’s Network of Canada’s report Deaf and Disabled Women and Gender-Diverse People and the World of Work, which aims to empower advocacy and develop meaningful strategies that support Deaf and disabled women and gender-diverse people to navigate the world of work more effectively.
- The upcoming survey results from the CLC, along with researchers at Western University and the University of Toronto, who ran their second Canada-wide Respect at Work survey in 2025. Nearly 5,000 workers took part in the first survey back in 2020. The results of the first survey were released in March 2022 and can be found here.
- The Native Women’s Association of Canada’s Annual Scorecard on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two=Spirit, Transgender, and Gender-Diverse (MMIWG2SG+) People
- Oxfam Canada’s reflections from a decade of gender programming.
Spread the word:
- Download or order free copies of CUPE’s International Women’s Day poster.
