To build a strong and inclusive union, we know how important it is to generate union awareness at the workplace level. With roughly 180 workplaces across UFCW Local 247, there’s no one way to do this. There are many.
“We’ve been working hard to raise member voices, increase union visibility at the workplace level, and build community among UFCW Local 247 members,” says UFCW Local 247 President Dan Goodman. “This has been a big priority for us. We are opening positive spaces where every member is truly welcome. We are stronger when we are positive, inclusive, and visible to members.”
While increasing union awareness and participation is a big challenge, it’s well underway at our local. We hope you’ve noticed, and we hope you’ll join us in doing even more!
We are always transforming how we do things. Rather than expecting our members to take time out of their busy lives to approach their union, we need to bring their union to them!
In the past, unions have relied on things like union bulletin boards, newsletters, staff Union Representatives, and amazing (but busy) Shop Stewards and member leaders to let people know they have a union and share how it works. Union meetings – for any union – are often notoriously costly, time consuming, and often poorly attended.
While we do these things in various ways – and they are important! – they aren’t the only ways to generate member awareness and engagement.
The driving force behind these events and initiatives are a lot of people who work hard and care deeply about our union: members who are active in their workplaces and want to help their coworkers, shop stewards, union representatives, and union leadership.
But this force has really taken off since early 2024, when we became the first UFCW local in Canada to create a member-driven Engagement Committee, made up of union members and supported by staff and leadership. The focus of this committee has been to find ways to connect members both inside and outside the workplace.
Our Engagement Committee was behind our very successful member engagement conference held in October 2024.
In the first half of 2025, our Engagement Committee members and union representatives have planned and held nearly 50 free events open to all UFCW Local 247 members, including fun and well-attended union picnics and barbeques in Victoria, Coquitlam, and South Surrey/Langley. There have also been dozens of events specific to workplaces.
RSVPs details for events are shared with members by email and posted on our website here: http://www.ufcw247.com/RSVP/
In recent years, we’ve been working hard to open more spaces for members. We revamped our bulletin boards completely, making them a constant source of fresh information for members in their lunchrooms.
But we’ve been doing much more lately.
Open House events in workplaces. Members may have noticed Union representatives holding open-house-style events at stores and worksites across BC. Union representatives, often accompanied by UFCW Local 247 President Dan Goodman and Secretary-Treasurer Cathy Shannon, host these events in lunchrooms over a few hours each time. We bring key information for members and spend hours talking and answering member questions. In each of these events, we see dozens of members.
Shop Steward Sharon Khan recently teamed up with fellow Engagement Committee member Jeff Shum to organize an open house at the Grandview Superstore.
“We know that nothing brings people together like good food and great union activists,” said Sharon. “Bite by bite, we unite!”
Scheduled visits. Some representatives have even started scheduling their regular visits with email notices sent to members in advance, so members know that their union representatives have been at their workplaces, even if they didn’t see them.
“I could be in a store for hours and still not see everyone,” says Union Representative Sinéad Wilson. “But by sending out notices to members in advance, they’ll know I was there, even if they didn’t see me, and at the very least, members are reminded about how they can contact me if they need support.”
Engagement events at workplaces and in communities. To build solidarity and a sense of community, we’ve been hosting union barbecues and other events to allow members to connect outside of work. These events are often open to members from various employers and workplaces in a particular region.
“You don’t always get your breaks together, so we also want to get folks together outside work,” said Tracy McCarthy, a Shop Steward at the Langford Superstore and Engagement Committee member, after the Victoria Member Picnic she helped to organize.
“Members raved about the food and activities. They felt like our union was one big family. People were happy to meet with [President] Dan Goodman, and there is a good, positive buzz going through my store now.”
“Opening spaces for members to get together, participate in their union, and build a sense of community and solidarity: this is what these events are all about,” said President Goodman. “This is the foundation for building a stronger and more inclusive union with engaged and active members.”
We’d love to hear from you. Contact Ximena at training@ufcw247.com or 1-888-361-8329.
