姜玲步入工會融入社会

我是姜玲，作为幼儿教育工作者，就职于多伦多公立学校。

从落地加拿大，自己一直在寻求各种途径融入这个崭新的社会。

我是从公共图书馆开始，寻找资源，参加社会活动获取信息。比如2008年从新闻中得知安省将从2010年起分5年，逐步将学前教育改为全日制。采用幼教(Eealy Childhood Educator)与教师(teacher)组合(collaborate)模式。就决定抓住机会，学习幼儿教育(Early Childhood Education)，为进入教育领域做好准备。毕业后成为公立学校教员 (DECE) 。

工作之余通过自愿参加教育工会月会(General meetings of Toronto Education Workers)及培训，了解并参与到劳工议会等各类劳工组织的活动。结识了其它工会的同胞，与热心的同胞们成立了华工网络。在做好本职工作的同时，与社会活动志愿者们参与并分享改进社会体制的经验与想法，呼吁并弘扬公平与正义，领导并协助劳工争取权益与福利，赢得尊严与尊重。作为华工网络联合主席，我视野更开阔，生活更多彩，也更坚强自信了。

我们的体制，体系，和对待个体有各种不公，相信每个人都遇到过。

体制造成的不公，如穷忙族(working poor), 没有带薪病假, 今年3月的通胀高达6.7%，但工资涨幅却限定在1%等。我作为中国13年工作经验的注册建筑师，到这里证书和学历都不被认可。这看似对个人的不公，其实是体制造成的，据说目前对外国学历，证书的认可有所改善。但歧视，区别对待依然存在，这就是体系不公。

体系造成的不公一般是隐形的，如同工同酬，种族，年龄平等等。

这两种不公是大众性的，要联合起来支持工会，齐心协力，共同抗争。

个人在工作中被呼来唤去遭遇霸凌等，要据理力争，并寻求支援与帮助。工会是最能正确解读工作条例和维护集体协议的组织，是可以依靠，支撑正义的力量。及时妥善的处理问题，避免事态恶化，有利于身心健康，亦能赢得善待与尊重。

我们需要一个安全，健康的工作场所。工会代表员工为改善工作环境做出了不懈的努力。集体协议是我们权益的最基本的保障，但这种保障需要在工会的组织领导下持续，坚定，一致的抗争。天上不会掉馅饼，争取健康公正的工作场所和社会正义任重而道远。工会加油!

华人对工会的理解目前多仅限于斗争，罢工等这些不得已而为之的最后激烈的行动。

其实工会更多的是团结，教育，帮助，乃至抚慰员工。工会的职责是与资方谈判集体协议，并监督保证协议的贯彻执行。工会举办丰富多彩，寓教于乐，有益身心健康的活动。提供各类信息，联谊与我们有共同价值观，能代表我们利益，聆听我们声音，为我们呼吁呐喊的政治家。

华工网络旨在引导和教育华裔同胞了解和参与社会活动。我们的轮职主席制度，旨在培育领袖的组织，领导才能。希望更多的同胞加入到我们这个大家庭，分享挫折与欢愉，交流资源与经验，同庆一个个小小的成功……

华人对公工会有误解，一是认为工会只会和雇主对立，损伤员工与雇主关系。二是惧怕雇主知其参与工会活动而做梗于他。

工会不与任何人做对。工会与雇主协商谈判，共同签署”集体协议”。工会为保护员工，会督促雇主履行协议。

参与工会活动，对自己的权力与义务了然于心，更有利于做好本职工作，更能正确处理工作中遇到的问题。掌握并正确运用规章制度来协调冲突，申明立场与观点，更能赢得雇主的尊重与善待。

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Ling Jiang steps into the union and integrates into society

Ling Jiang is a trained Early Childhood Educator (ECE) and works with the Toronto District School Board as a Designated Early Childhood Educator.  She is a member of Toronto Education Workers, which is also known as CUPE 4400. 

Since moving to Canada, Ling has faced many challenges and difficulties.  The first of which was not having her architect licence and thirteen years of work experience as an architect recognized in Canada.  In spite of her certificate and credentials not being recognized, Ling re-trained as an ECE and was subsequently hired by the TDSB.  She is currently very active and involved in her union, sitting on many committees and delegations.  Ling is also the current Co-Chair of the Chinese Workers Network and has been using her position as Co-Chair to advocate for workers’ rights in the Chinese-Canadian community.

Under the Ford government in Ontario, Bill 124 has severely limited the ability of public sector unions to bargain for salary increases beyond 1% while inflation is at a 30-year high at 6.7%.  Ling believes strongly that Bill 124 and the bargaining cap is an injustice to many everyday frontline workers like herself, who meagrely make ends meet.  She hopes that more and more Chinese-Canadians like herself will see themselves represented in the trade union movement, and that unions are not limited to escalating job action which result in last minute strikes.  For her, unions are about unity, education, help and solidarity with one another. 

For example, the Chinese Workers’ Network (CWN) aims to guide and educate Chinese-Canadian workers to understand what trade unions are about, and how to work together to advocate and improve our quality of life.  For Ling, the CWN not only organizes regular meetings but also various social opportunities to celebrate and get to know one another.  In such spaces, there is the ability to ask questions about unions and to apply knowledge into the workplace.