Friday, August 9, 2024

Power of Belonging

In a society facing a loneliness crisis, we can all strengthen community in our workplaces

By Dennis Perrin, Prairies Director

At the Prairies Stewards’ Conference this past April, I spoke to the group on the necessity of community and the power of belonging. It’s the “collective” in a collective agreement and the fact that as a group we can do more than all of us as individual operators combined.

Community is really the glue that holds us together. Without it, all kinds of bad things happen—everything from physical and mental illness, injustices and atrocities, and simply a lack of purpose.

I’ve had the pleasure of watching my kids compete in several competitive sports over the years. When we were all newer at it, I thought the value was primarily in watching them develop their athletic skills and ultimately winning.

While development is still an important objective and by-product of sport, I’ve come to believe that perhaps the most valuable aspect to it all is community. Each of them are being developed as people and citizens of society in the context of their team, which is community. They are building strong relationships, some of which may last most of their lives.

They’re also learning what it means to exist in community. It’s everything from negotiation to compromise to forgiveness to standing up to injustice.

In the words of the great Ted Lasso after a difficult loss for his team AFC Richmond, “I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that’s being alone and being sad. Ain’t no one in this room alone."

Much has been written recently on the fact that we’re living in a loneliness crisis. Societal structures are in decline, and people are looking for connection and belonging.

Historical institutions such as churches, unions, and community leagues are on the decline in many parts of North America. Some would argue this comes with a cost.

Physician and author Dr. Gabor Mate writes about connection in his book The Myth of Normal. At one point he states, “A society that fails to value community—our need to belong—to care for one another, and to feel caring energy flowing toward us—is a society facing away from the essence of what it means to be human. Pathology cannot but ensue. To say so is not a moral assertion, but an objective assessment.”

Mate goes on to list a number of basic needs we have as humans, primarily both attachment and authenticity.

As a union, we have the privileged opportunity to be community not only for our fellow members, but our workplaces, our clients, patients, or customers and the local communities we reside in. Historically, unions were part of the social fabric in local communities. While unionism has been on the decline in North America in recent years, many unions are reestablishing themselves as agents in bringing connection to communities.

As CLAC works to build better workplaces, better communities, and better lives, we have the distinct advantage of strengthening communities for not only our members, but for their communities at large.

Power of Belonging

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