2021 Anthony Giles, Brian Burkett, Hassan Yussuff and Larry Brown

CIRA/ACRI announces the recipients of its 2021 Canadian Freedom of Association Award

About The Canadian Freedom of Association Award

In 2016, the Canadian Industrial Relations Association / Association canadienne des relations industrielles (CIRA-ACRI) announced a generous donation by McMaster Emeritus Professor Roy J. Adams to provide funds for an annual award to recognize an outstanding contribution to promoting understanding of and compliance with international standards regarding the right to organize and bargain collectively, as those standards apply to Canada (https://www.cira-acri.ca/en-awards#foaaward).

Consideration for the award shall include but not be limited to efforts or initiatives that establish or expand upon the right of all workers to form and join unions of their own choosing without prior authorization; that expand the guarantees for the free functioning of worker and employer organizations without interference by public authorities; and to respect, to promote and to realize in good faith the rights of workers and employers to collective bargaining in accordance with internationally recognized human rights standards and, in particular, those principles and standards developed and promoted by the International Labour Organization.

Previous award winners include: in 2020, Deena Ladd and the Workers’ Action Centre; in 2019, Pierre Verge (accepted posthumously by his son Louis Verge); in 2018, the Honourable Justices Beverley McLachlin and Louis LeBel; and in 2017, Craig Bavis and Larry Kowalchuk.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Association (CIRA) designates an independent nominations committee to consider candidacies and bestow this annual award on its behalf. In 2021, the Nominations Committee is made up of Professors Gregor Murray (School of Industrial Relations, Université de Montréal), Dionne Pohler (Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto) and Gilles Trudeau (Faculty of Law, Université de Montréal).

The 2021 Canadian Freedom of Association Award

On 14 June 2017, Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, deposited the instrument of ratification of the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98) . This was especially significant because it marked Canada’s ratification of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) eight fundamental conventions. The 2021 Canadian Freedom of Association Award is therefore attributed to the individuals and organizations who played a key role in this ratification.  

The decision to ratify this convention was a long process involving many individuals, organizations and governments. Given the tripartite nature of the ILO and Canada’s participation in it, we believe that it is especially important to recognize the tripartite contributions to this ratification.  Moreover, while there were many individuals involved in the organizational work to make this happen, we believe that it is also important to recognize the individuals who played a particular leadership role in the ratification of this core convention.

The joint winners of the 2021 Canadian Freedom of Association Award are therefore the following persons and organizations who were instrumental in Canada’s 2017 ratification of ILO Convention C98: The Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949:

• Anthony Giles and the International and Intergovernmental Affairs Directorate, Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada;

• Brian Burkett and the Canadian Employers’ Council;

• Hassan Yussuff and the Canadian Labour Congress; and

• Larry Brown and the National Union of Public and General Employees.

The tripartite nature of the ILO immediately highlights the importance of the three types of actor most relevant to the world of work and employment: government, employer and union. Of a common accord, the International and Intergovernmental Affairs Directorate did the heavy lifting, strategically and practically, over a decade. Likewise, the Canadian Employers’ Council and the Canadian Labour Congress were essential in this process. It is also necessary to recognize the particular role of the National Union of Public and General Employees, which was far out front in making this ratification a priority question of ongoing concern.

While the recognition of these organizations is essential, the Nominations Committee also wishes to recognize the leadership and inspiration provided by three individuals in this process: Anthony Giles (recently retired Assistant Deputy Minister of the Labour Program), Brian Burkett (counsel for the Canadian Employers’ Council), Hassan Yussuff (retiring president of the Canadian Labour Congress), and Larry Brown (president of the National Union of Public and General Employees). Each of these individuals epitomizes the values of social dialogue and international labour cooperation and has demonstrated a strong belief in the importance of international norms like those formulated in the ILO Conventions and a tangible commitment to pursuing those norms in Canada.

To paraphrase the ILO Director General, Guy Ryder, when Canada ratified C98, in 2017, it was a recognition of Canada’s long-standing commitment to promoting and effectively implementing fundamental rights at work, both domestically and through its international relations. Collective bargaining is important in facilitating adaptation to economic, socio-political and technological change and the growing relevance of its role in the fast-paced changing environment of the world of work. Convention No. 98 is of particular importance amongst ILO member States because it affirms the function of collective bargaining in combating income inequality and promoting the other fundamental principles and rights at work, ensuring social justice and conditions of dignity (https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/subjects-covered-by-international-labour-standards/collective-bargaining/WCMS_558488/lang--en/index.htm).

Given that this ratification required considerable effort over a long period of time, the individuals and organizations being jointly presented with this award would also like to acknowledge the important contributions of other individuals throughout this process.

• Anthony Giles and the International and Intergovernmental Affairs Directorate, Labour Program, Employment and Social Development Canada wish to acknowledge the important contributions of Anik Blais, Heather Calder, Alex Duff, Keith Lewis, Rakesh Patry, Karla Santos-Pedro and Irene Zhou.

• Brian Burkett and the Canadian Employers’ Council wish to highlight the important contributions of Derrick Hynes (FETCO), John Beckett (BC Maritime Employers’ Association), Karolyne Gagnon (Conseil du patronat du Québec) and Sonia Regenbogen (Partner, Mathews Dinsdale & Clark LLP) to the work of the CEC and the Canadian delegation to the ILO.

• Hassan Yussuff and the Canadian Labour Congress wish to emphasize the important contributions of Chris Roberts (Director, Social and Economic Policy at the CLC) and the CLC  Legal Challenges Coordinating Committee.

• Finally, Larry Brown and the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) wish to highlight the seminal work of James Clancy (retired NUPGE president), Derek Fudge (retired NUPGE director of public policy and development) and Carol Meyer (retired NUPGE managing director).

The 2021 Freedom of Association Award will be announced by the CIRA President, Patrice Jalette, at the annual conference of the Canadian Association of Industrial Relations Association / Association canadienne des relations industrielles (CIRA-ACRI) on May 27, 2021. Then, in September 2021 (date to be determined), CIRA-ACRI will organize a webinar and awards ceremony around the ratification of ILO Convention C98.

 Once again, we wish to acknowledge the seminal and substantive contributions of Emeritus Professor Roy Adams for initiating this award and all that it represents.

Gregor Murray, Dionne Pohler and Gilles Trudeau

The CIRA Freedom of Association Award Nominations Committee  

For the Canadian Industrial Relations Association (CIRA-ACRI)

27 May 2021

2020 Deena Ladd and the Workers' Action Centre

*To view the Virtual Celebration of the 2020 Recipients of CIRA’s Canadian Freedom of Association Award: Deena Ladd and the Workers’ Action Centre (WAC), held on Thursday 23 September 2021, see the 90-minute webinar on the work of the Workers’ Action Centre on CIRA’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/qh5-bI59mIQ

On June 2, 2016, the Canadian Industrial Relations Association / Association canadienne des relations industrielles (ACRI-CIRA) announced the generous donation by Roy J. Adams of funds to support an annual award to a person or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to promoting understanding of and compliance with international standards regarding the right to organize and bargain collectively, as those standards apply to Canada (https://www.cira-acri.ca/en-awards#foaaward).

Consideration for the award shall include but not be limited to efforts or initiatives that establish or expand upon the right of all workers to form and join unions of their own choosing without prior authorization; that expand the guarantees for the free functioning of worker and employer organizations without interference by public authorities; and to respect, to promote and to realize in good faith the rights of workers and employers to collective bargaining in accord with internationally recognized human rights standards and, in particular, those principles and standards developed and promoted by the International Labour Organization.

Previous award winners are as follows: in 2019, Pierre Verge (accepted posthumously by his son Louis Verge); in 2018, Beverley McLachlin and Louis LeBel; and in 2017, Craig Bavis and Larry Kowalchuk.

We are pleased to announce that the joint winners of the 2020 Canadian Freedom of Association Award are the Workers’ Action Centre (WAC) and its executive director Ms. Deena Ladd.

Workers’ Action Centre

The Workers’ Action Centre (WAC) is a worker-based organization in Toronto committed to improving the lives and working conditions of people in low-wage and unstable employment. Thousands of working families are struggling to make ends meet, so the WAC organizes for decent work.

WAC's members are workers in precarious jobs. They are recent immigrants, workers of colour, women, men, and youth. Most do not belong to unions and often cannot exercise basic freedom of association rights because they work in small workplaces, are temporary workers, on contract, independent contractors or unemployed. In one month, they may be juggling 2 or 3 jobs, as has been readily apparent in the Covid-19 pandemic; in another month, they might not have any work or income. When they are able to find full-time work, there is often still little protection against unfair working conditions.

WAC’s approach starts from the belief that the leaders in the fight for decent work should be the workers directly affected by poor working conditions, that the workers who have firsthand experience of problems at work will have the best insight into what will bring fairness and dignity to Ontario’s workplaces. WAC is a member-based organization, whose members are workers directly impacted by low wages, poor working conditions, and labour laws that too often fail to protect them. The organization is committed to developing the leadership of its members and members’ knowledge of their rights at work.

The mandate of the Workers’ Action Centre WAC's includes intervening in changing labour laws to bring them up to date with labour market realities and to improve their enforcement; building a movement for decent work through campaigns bringing together many union and community allies, most recently through campaigns such as the Fight for $15 & Fairness campaign and the campaign on Decent Work and Health geared to securing, among others, paid sick leave for people in precarious jobs.

WAC members are actively involved in its campaigns and advocacy work to improve wages and working conditions for all workers. Through sharing experiences at work and mutual support, WAC members seek to build a stronger movement for change. The constant objective has been to expand the boundaries of freedom of association for the most precarious and often vulnerable persons at work. This 2020 Canadian Freedom of Association Award seeks to recognize the strength and clarity of that commitment on the part of the Workers’ Action Centre.

Deena Ladd

Deena Ladd is the Executive Director of the Workers’ Action Centre (WAC). For over 20 years, she has been working to improve wages and working conditions primarily for racialized communities, women, low-wage workers and immigrant workers. She has worked as a union organizer with garment workers, home-based workers, and social service, retail and manufacturing workers. Deena has developed and taught courses and training sessions for rank and file unionized women, young workers and workers of colour for various federations of labour, unions and community organizations.

For the past twelve years, Deena Ladd has been working to build a membership-based worker’s centre in Toronto that can improve wages and working conditions for many working people. The Workers’ Action Centre (WAC), of which she is Executive Director, works with predominantly low-waged immigrant workers and workers of colour in precarious jobs that face discrimination, violations of rights and few, if any, benefits in the workplace.

The work of the Workers’ Action Centre is of course a collective effort, enriched by the contributions of so many persons. In awarding the 2020 Canadian Freedom of Association award jointly to the Workers’ Action Centre and to Deena Ladd, we wish to give special recognition to Deena Ladd’s outstanding contribution in bringing freedom of association rights to workers who, most often, have to overcome huge obstacles to exercising their fundamental rights to associate freely to improve their lives at work.

The Canadian Industrial Relations Association /
L’association canadienne des relations industrielles
(ACRI-CIRA)

Acknowledgement of the prize by Deena Ladd on her own behalf and that of the Workers’ Action Centre

Thank you so much for awarding the Workers' Action Centre the 2020 Canadian Freedom of Association Award.  This is a lovely honor and more importantly a recognition of the thousands of workers in Canada who are fighting for decent wages and working conditions. Many of us are racialized workers, immigrants, migrants, low wage workers and women of colour and have been courageously speaking out, organizing, and building stronger alliances to raise awareness of precarious work, the need to change immigration and labour laws, to raise the minimum wage, ensure equal pay for equal work and to make sure no one gets left behind.   This struggle is everyone's struggle and we remain determined in our fight for racial and economic justice!  Good enough to work - Good enough to Stay!

Deena Ladd
15 June 2020