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There are late nights and weekend mornings when you could have just slept in- but the payoff for election volunteering can last a lifetime.
In the 2019 federal election, Unifor members volunteered from Victoria, BC to St. John’s, NL helping to elect MPs that reflected their values as working people.
“Volunteering for a candidate, whether in a municipal, provincial or federal election can be very rewarding. This work can have a direct impact on the issues that matter to you, because politics will find its way into all aspects of your life,” said Katha Fortier, Assistant to the National President.
There is a job for everyone on an election campaign, from putting up signs to making calls, knocking on doors, and entering data.
Unifor’s election campaign was multi-pronged, with advertising about the dangers of conservative cuts complimented by member organizers going door-to-door to ask other members about the issues that mattered to them in the election.
Beyond the coordinated campaign- members from across Unifor sectors and geography connected with local candidates and joined their teams.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of any election campaign,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Any candidate will tell you that. Nothing says walking the talk like a volunteer who will go out and work to elect a candidate that reflects their values. I congratulate everyone who got directly involved in this election campaign, know that you made a difference.”
Unionized workers have a long history of electoral engagement in Canada.
“Workers volunteer on election campaigns because governments have the power to directly affect not only working conditions, but access to public services and the climate that we all rely on. Elections shape the future, but these campaigns also build valuable skills for trade union activists,” continued Dias.
Members can use the skills from election organizing to participate in community or union activism and campaigns, from bargaining campaigns to the defense of public services for all.
