The month of December marks four important dates in the struggle for justice and equality:

December 1 - World Aids Day

December 3 - International Day of Disabled Person

December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women in Canada

December 10 - International Human Rights Day

World Aids Day –December 1

Every two hours, someone in Canada is infected with HIV. An estimated 58,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS - a 16% increase since 2002.

AIDS is a union issue. HIV/AIDS threatens the livelihoods of many workers and those who depend on them.

The Harper government needs to show leadership by ending its silence on HIV/AIDS. We need concrete commitments to fight the disease at home and abroad.

Please mark World Aids Day: wear a ribbon, make a contribution to your local or international AIDS organizations and combat the myths by learning the facts about HIV/AIDS.

International Day of Disabled Persons – December 3

Many people living with disabilities continue to live in poverty. More than 55% of working-age adults with disabilities are currently unemployed. For women with disabilities the rate is almost 75%.

Employers often treat us as expendable once we are injured and many of us will face these pressures at one time in our work life. We all have an obligation to support the legal right of members to be accommodated at work.

Marking the International Day of Disabled Persons also means continuing to resist Manulife’s attempts to pry into our medical privacy rights.

National Day of Remembrance and
Action on Violence Against Women in Canada - December 6

Violence against women is a systemic problem. To support women fleeing from violence we need a strong social safety net.

CUPW is demanding Prime Minister Harper takes real steps to end violence against women. These include:

• Federal pay equity legislation
• A national child care program
• Fairer treatment for Aboriginal Women and an Inquiry into the missing and disappeared women
• A national social housing program
• Reversing the cuts to the Women’s Programs

Action to end violence against women needs to happen every day of the year, not only on December 6^th.

International Human Rights Day - December 10

December 10th marks the 60th anniversary of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is a day to celebrate the courage and determined actions of activists fighting for a world of dignity and equality for all.

CUPW solidarity with human rights groups includes challenging the federal government's security certificates, fighting to bring Omar Khadr home and opposing the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement.

Our work is far from finished when many governments around the world have shown their real values by easily finding billions of dollars for banks but not for ensuring people have food, shelter or the ability to access a doctor when they are sick.