PSAC Atlantic is calling on governments at every level to mark Canada’s third national recognition of Emancipation Day by addressing systemic racism faced by Black workers.
“The injustices endured by Black workers and communities reverberate and continue to this day,” said Chris Di Liberatore, Regional Executive Vice-President for the Atlantic. “Black workers still encounter numerous barriers in every aspect of their employment, from hiring and career advancement to retention and employer support.”
In October 2022, PSAC Atlantic celebrated the release of a paper stemming from GEN-041 resolution titled: The impact of slavery and racism upon Women of African descent in the Atlantic who work in the federal public service, and the role of unions in this struggle.
This paper highlights the first-hand experiences and voices of Black women in the Atlantic region, both in their workplaces and within their union, and provides a roadmap for moving forward. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves on the impacts of slavery and its continued influence in Canada, and we are proud of the steps taken with this resolution.
On Emancipation Day, we recognize the struggle for freedom led by enslaved people, the consequences of inter-generational trauma that followed, and the link between slavery and systemic discrimination today. Discrimination in hiring practices, wage gaps, microaggressions, and other inequities continue to be the reality for many Black workers.
As a union, we must make meaningful efforts to better represent the interests of our members in their workplaces. For PSAC it means reflecting on our ongoing fight for action and justice to combat anti-Black racism.
PSAC Atlantic supports calls for reparations for descendants of enslaved people in Canada. We know that acknowledgment, restitution, and compensation for harm suffered because of the transatlantic slave trade is a requirement to move towards justice.