Union Leader Receives Award for Her Fight for Equity

By Neil Armstrong

Yolanda McClean, recipient of the Ed Blackman Award for her activism on racial justice, with CUPE National president, Mark Hancock, at CUPE's National Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Oct. 3, 2017.

Yolanda McClean, second vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, diversity vice-president on CUPE’s National Executive Board and president of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists- Ontario/Canada Chapter, is the recipient of the Ed Blackman Award for her activism on racial justice.

 She received the recognition at CUPE’s National Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on October 3 where Mark Hancock, national president, described her as a champion fighter for equity.

“As equity vice-president for CUPE Local 4400, representing 13, 000 Toronto education workers, Yolanda has fought side by side with education workers against precarity across CUPE workplaces. As a trade union leader, Yolanda has been vigilant in promoting actions against precarious work knowing that our racialized members are most likely to be affected by it,” said Hancock.

He said McClean had worked hard to increase the participation of women and equity seeking groups at all levels.

“As a diversity vice-president for CUPE National, she has promoted anti-racism programs and caucuses for workers of colour and CUPE sectors across Canada and she has been a strong advocate for employment equity programs.”

Since 2013, McClean has been the president of the Canadian Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) providing a strong voice for black workers within the international trade union movement, and challenging organized labour to be more relevant to their needs and aspirations, Hancock noted.

He said McClean’s leadership is reflected in her work as a facilitator sharing her personal experiences and acting as a mentor for workers of colour.

In her acceptance speech, McClean said she was only able to do this work because of the strength that she received from many people within the labour movement and outside.

She thanked the members of CUPE National, the board, and CUPE Ontario for their continued support.

McClean also thanked the CBTU for “being there all the time and encouraging her as a leader to continue to push the envelope and for continuing to work to promote access, to open doors for other black workers in this labour movement.”

Referring to CUPE Local 4400, she said its leader John Weatherup is committed to the work that she does, and she described the members as her “rock.”

“To my own family who is here with me today who has given me the strength to fight every single day to be the person that I am today, and they’ve given me the courage to continue to do this work.

While it’s been time-consuming and a lot of sacrificing - sometimes I’m not even sure if the keys still work in the door -- but I could never have done this work without your love and support through these past years.”

Her parents -- 80-year-old mother Sylvia McClean and 88-year-old father Lionel McClean -- were on the stage for the occasion with Yolanda noting that her father has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t even know who she is but, “I feel that you love me and I feel that you’re proud of me, and to my parents, thank you for the shoulders that you’ve given me. I love you very much.”

“The only thing we can do as activists is what we’ve always done: fight back, be bold, be brave,” she said in concluding her remarks.

The late Ed Blackman was a worker of colour and a committed trade unionist on the local and national scenes. 

He was a founding member of the CUPE National Rainbow Committee and a prominent local and national leader of the union. 

Blackman served for many years as president of CUPE Local 500, Winnipeg Civic Employees, and as a general vice-president on CUPE’s National Executive Board.

The award is presented to a CUPE member who strengthens the labour movement by: demonstrating commitment to activism on racial justice; providing leadership and acting as a role model for activism; dismantling barriers to greater participation for workers of colour in our union; promoting racial justice in the workplace and the community; promoting and defending the rights of people of colour in our communities to build a stronger social movement.

The winner receives a commemorative plaque and CUPE will make a $1,000 donation to the social justice organization of her or his choice. McClean has chosen the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.