For 2SLGBTQIA+ Unifor members

Greetings,

Unifor’s National Pride Conference is returning, bringing together 2SLGBTQIA+ members from across the country for a weekend of learning, solidarity, and action. This bilingual event is designed for two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) members to gain skills, build knowledge, and strengthen our collective power.

Allies play a crucial role in our fight for equity, but this conference is a closed space for 2SLGBTQIA+ Unifor members to strategize, connect, and build a more inclusive movement together. 

The Fight for Our Rights

We are at a critical moment in history. Across Canada and around the world, far-right movements are mobilizing to strip away 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, erase queer and trans visibility, and defund essential services. 

• Municipal councils, school boards, and library boards are under attack, with extremists pushing to ban books, restrict gender-affirming care, and shut down spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.
• Workers' rights and 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are being threatened together, as anti-union forces and anti-2SLGBTQIA+ forces share common goals of dismantling protections for marginalized communities and isolating us as individuals.
• We are fighting to make progress, and also to defend the rights we have already won—and to push back against policies and rhetoric designed to isolate, intimidate, and erase our community.

This conference will focus on building the knowledge, skills, and networks we need to resist these attacks, protect our rights, and fight for a just and inclusive future. 

Delegates will hear from leading activists, Unifor leaders, and community organizers through: 

• Plenary sessions addressing the rise of the far right and its impact on our communities
• Breakout workshops with hands-on training and strategy development
• Networking and social events to build solidarity and community

Pride Activist Course – 5-Day Education Opportunity

The Unifor Education Department is hosting a 5-Day Pride Activist Course May 25 to 30^th, 2025 in the lead-up to the conference. This intensive course provides an in-depth opportunity to develop activism skills, deepen knowledge on 2SLGBTQIA+ worker rights, and prepare for the work ahead in our communities and union locals. 

For more information on the Pride Activist Course, visit: 
https://www.unifor.org/resources/education/pel 

A Message to Our Allies: How You Can Support 

We know that many Unifor allies want to attend and show support, and we deeply appreciate your ongoing commitment to equity and justice. While the Pride Conference is a closed space for 2SLGBTQIA+ members, there are other ways to stay engaged and take action. 

Learn how to be a stronger ally with Unifor’s Online Allies Course 

The Unifor Education Department has developed a 90-minute online module specifically for allies who want to increase their understanding and support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

Take the Allies Self-Directed Module here: 
www.unifor.org/resources/education/courses/allies-mini-self-directed-module-olallies 

This course provides practical tools on: 

• Understanding allyship and its role in social justice
• Supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ members in workplaces and communities
• Standing in solidarity year-round, beyond Pride month

Your allyship is essential in the fight for equality, and we encourage you to take the course, apply the knowledge, and stand with us in solidarity every day. 

The conference and workshops will be bilingual and, as always, this conference fills up quickly. Please submit your registrations early to avoid disappointment. The registration deadline is May 9, 2025.  A payment of $80.00 is required for the conference kit materials.

The conference begins at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 30th and ends at 12:00 p.m. Sunday, June 1^st, 2025. Registration takes place on Friday from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. New delegate orientation will be held from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Complete call letter and forms can be found by visiting https://www.unifor.org/news/events/pride-conference-2025

Please contact Sarah McCue at sarah.mccue@unifor.org or Billy O’Neill at billy.oneill@unifor.org if you require additional information.

Let’s come together to organize, strategize, and take action—see you in Port Elgin!