Thursday, January 14, 2021

Being Part of the Solution

History has shown that every large-scale disaster and crisis has a way of bringing out the very best of human character, resilience, and heroism

Guide Magazine

By Wayne Prins, Executive Director

I was a resident of Fort McMurray, Alberta, at the time of the infamous wildfire that ravaged the city in 2016. The efforts of those who fought the fire as well as the resilience of the entire community, both in the moment of disaster and in the years since, remains an inspiring example of what I’m talking about.

There are countless examples of similarly inspiring stories generated by this long battle with COVID-19. We’ve written before of the incredible and selfless work of our healthcare members who, for 10 months now, have reported to work in the face of uncertainty and danger to care for us and our most vulnerable loved ones. Canadians are finally coming to fully appreciate the dedication and sacrifice of these workers, and we continue to implore government to pass legislation and provide funding that demonstrates respect and gratitude for their service.

The same is true for thousands of other essential service workers that CLAC represents across the country. Given the sheer volume of remarkable efforts and contributions by so many workers in response to the pandemic, it will never be possible to fully recognize everyone properly.

But the vast majority of individuals aren’t doing what they’re doing for the sake of recognition. And that is part of the beauty of the grand narrative about how people respond to disasters and moments of crisis. It’s just the very best of human nature coming through in moments of need. Unfortunately, not everyone responds well in moments of crisis.

We’ve seen the typical scoundrels who unleash their COVID-themed online scams meant to steal money from unsuspecting folks. There are those who flaunt their disdain and objection to public health directives. Others seek to assign blame for our shared hardships on someone else—anyone else—as if assigning blame will somehow alleviate the hardship. It won’t.

Unions have had to advocate for their members in so many ways in response to the COVID crisis. I believe our stewards, representatives, and staff have done great work maintaining a positive, solutions-oriented approach to the thousands of challenges and demands we have all faced. I am incredibly proud that in the midst of such pressure and stress, we have not wavered in our commitment to collaborative, compassionate, and smart solutions to these problems.

I’m not suggesting we’ve been perfect, and I acknowledge that some decisions, particularly in the face of economic turmoil, have been very difficult. But I believe strongly that through it all we’ve conducted ourselves with integrity and dignity, and in all cases we’ve been a part of the solution.

I’ve been reflecting with new appreciation on the fact that 95 percent of CLAC members are occupied in essential services and sectors. This has allowed CLAC to weather the COVID storm relatively well, and it has meant that the majority of you—our members— either kept working through the shutdowns or experienced relatively short work stoppages.

But we also know this isn’t true for all of you. To those who may still be out of work, we acknowledge your hardship and hope for relief soon.

The pandemic will be with us for some time to come. But as long as COVID remains a problem, CLAC, its members, and staff will continue to be part of the solution.

Being Part of the Solution

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