Earlier this month, the Union of National Employees raised $10,000 to create a series of high school bursaries. Thanks to donations from members at the All Presidents’ Conference, Locals, the national executive and our union, ten lucky high school students will receive $1,000 to help them pursue higher education.
Part of the money was raised through a raffle held at the All Presidents Conference. The first two winners won some rather cool prizes directly from Moscow: Russian nesting dolls and a jersey signed by Russian hockey legend Vladislav Tretiak. The next four names out of the hat won the opportunity to work with their regional team to identify a high school in their region worthy of our bursary.
Allan Combres of Local 20214, whose name was third out of the hat, admits that even if his name had been picked first or second, he would still have jumped at the chance to be part of the high school bursary program… even if his son probably would have been blown away by the hockey jersey!
“I think it’s a good opportunity to get children exposed to the labour movement,” said Combres.
Combres admits that his own children don’t hear much about the labour movement at school.
“They learn that from their dad, here,” he added, proudly.
This bursary is the first of its kind at the Union of National Employees. Specifically, it’s the first bursary that reaches out to the broader public, as opposed to only targeting members and their families.
“It’s crucial to reach out and explain the work of unions to the general public, especially to those who aren’t unionized,” said Donald Parsons, who will be working with the Atlantic region to select a worthy high school.
Parsons says that kind of work is especially important nowadays, since unions are increasingly being portrayed in a negative light.
“Too many people think ‘I don’t have that benefit; why should you?’ when they should be thinking ‘you have that benefit, why don’t I?’” said Parsons.
High school students who hope to be awarded a bursary will have to submit an essay detailing how unions have helped build a middle class in Canada and how they were (and continue to be!) a progressive force, fighting for values that would eventually become regarded as national values.
“It’s important that young people understand and appreciate that the labour movement will be there for them as they begin their working careers,” said Parsons.
For more information on this bursary and others offered by the UNE, please click here.