NUPGE Leadership Development School celebrates 25 years

August 22 2024

25 years ago, the National Union of Public and General Employees launched its first school to develop current and future leaders’ ability to think strategically and build the skills necessary to lead our growing membership.

This year, NUPGE has convened its largest ever Leadership Development School, with 30 members and staff attending from across the country. In Barrie, Ontario, students have been joined by union leaders from the Canadian Labour Congress, the United States, Brazil, and one of our global partners, Public Services International.

“The School brings people together to learn in a more intimate atmosphere, where they can participate in rich and diverse discussions during the day, but also take deeper dives into issues in the evenings through informal conversations,” said Bert Blundon, NUPGE President. “We strive to create a balance through the week of sessions focused on critical and strategic thinking with some sessions examining the challenges unions and its members are facing: retirement security, access to affordable housing, tax fairness, and fighting for equity and equality.

Every year, the school’s core focus is a series of lectures by Elaine Bernard, former executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. During the series of 6 seminars, participants focus on 3 central themes: leadership, organizational change, and strategic choices for union leaders.

To complement this work, leading experts on key issues facing unions and working people are invited to share insights and strategize on how to overcome these challenges together.

Speakers at 2024 School were:

  • Kaila Johnston, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: Making a commitment to reconciliation
  • Katrina Miller, Canadians for Tax Fairness: Taxation for a productive economy
  • Stephanie Ross, McMaster University: The attack on unions
  • Brad Lafortune, Public Interest Alberta: The APP and why we need to defend the CPP
  • Ricardo Tranjan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: There is no housing crisis
  • Siobhán Vipond, Canadian Labour Congress: Labour’s role in federal politics
  • Euan Gibbs, Public Services International: The International labour movement fights the right
  • Joanna Redden, University of Western Ontario: AI use by governments
  • Kate Fitzpatrick, AFSCME, and João Gabriel Buonavita, SINDSEP: Challenges and opportunities for the American and Brazilian labour movements

Jason MacLean, NUPGE Secretary-Treasurer, facilitated an interactive session entitled, “Racism in Canada.” His presentation highlighted the ways racism presents itself in our society, from “whitening resumes” to the racial and ethnic disparity in imprisonment to the underrepresentation of BIPOC in leadership positions. Members were encouraged to consider how to help eliminate racism in workplaces, in our unions, in our communities, and in politics. MacLean’s message was that we need to be stronger allies to groups facing increasing violence. We, as a union, can be a powerful force for anti-racist action.

“We are grateful to members who take time away from work and home, in the dying days of summer, to engage in a week of serious thought and honest dialogue about the future of NUPGE and its Components, and the labour movement,” said Blundon. “We are proud to invest in developing the skills  and knowledge of members and staff who are passionate about representing workers and creating a better world.”