AFL pledges to renew our commitment to fighting for equality for all workers

On March 21, 1960, sixty-nine people were killed and eighty were wounded by the racist state of South Africa while peacefully protesting Apartheid. The Security Council of the United Nations, in an unprecedented move, condemned the Sharpeville Massacre and the South African government for this action. March 21 was declared the “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination” in 1966 by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

In the 48 years since the establishment of this day, much has changed, but the struggle to end racial discrimination continues. Racism still exists. Despite the collapse of Apartheid in South Africa in 1994, the segregation of Aboriginal peoples, which Apartheid was based on, still stands.

Canada’s own history is rife with bigotry and exclusion, and while we have made progress, we still have a long way to go. Many immigrants coming to Canada in recent years have been migrant workers who have no path to citizenship, only adding to the situation of growing economic inequality. While many of the workers of colour are well-educated, they are over-represented in semi-skilled and low-skilled occupations and end up doing precarious work.

The AFL pledges to renew its commitment to fighting for equity and respect for all workers. We will speak out for workers and community members who experience discrimination and unfair treatment on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion. We will contribute to the educating of our members about human diversity and human rights.