Solidarity Forever – Lana Payne, Unifor Atlantic Regional Director

Solidarity is what we build!
Most who know me, know of my profound respect for central labour organizations, as a force to build solidarity among unions, and bring about change for working people. This is especially true of federations of labour and labour councils across the country, where grassroots campaigning and mobilizing happens.
As a past president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour (NLFL), I also know how challenging this is.
Solidarity is not automatic, a guaranteed outcome because we are part of the club. It must be built. Every single day. It is built around the work we do together.
I can say this because I am first and foremost an activist, one who also found this week’s decision to leave the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) – a decision I was part of making – heart-wrenchingly tough. Like you I am hurting. But I support the decision and here with a little personal history is why.
I was President of the NLFL in 2010-11 when a decision was made to throw the National Union of Public Government Employees (NUPGE) out of the CLC for not paying its dues.
NUPGE had been withholding its per capita payments because it believed Article 4 of the Constitution needed strengthening. Article 4 is the part of the CLC Constitution that deals with raiding.
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