This past weekend, the Latin American trade Unionists Coalition (LATUC) was formed at their inaugural conference held at the venerable Steelworkers Hall on Cecil Street in Toronto, Ontario. The Coalition was supported by many unions, especially those with members from the Latin American communities. Among the sponsors of the Conference were the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada, United Steelworkers (USW) the Canadian Union of Public Employeers (CUPE) National, Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), CUPE Ontario, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), CUPE4400, Voces Latina Radio, Worker2Worker, CUPE 2191. Also supporting LATUC are the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW Canada) with the participation of Maria Pozo, President of IAM LL901 and Frank Saptel, National Communications Representative, who were both involved in the new organization from its planning stages. Sister Pozo is a signatory on the LATUC’s First Declaration of its Statement of Principles. Important sister organisations attending in solidarity and support were the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and the Asian Canadian Labour Alliance (ACLA), who represent workers of African orgin and Asian origin respectively. With the creation of LATUC, there is now an important voice for Latin American workers in the Canadian labour movement.
22 September, 2009