On October 6, MNU hosted its first Education Conference since before the pandemic. The event was held virtually and saw more than 200 members attend. The full-day event was comprised of a panel discussion, a keynote speaker, and three educational sessions on various union-focused topics that members could choose from.
The goal of the panel was to empower our members to continue to raise their voices. We heard from Scott Oake from the Bruce Oake Recovery Centre and Foundation on the importance of storytelling, and Angela Taylor from Inspire Community Outreach on the need to connect with others facing similar challenges. We heard from Levi Foy from Sunshine House Winnipeg about the hard truth, that each day you will face challenges, and that the best way to move forward, is take it one day at a time. We gained insight from Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions on the different ways she sees success when it comes to activism, and we heard from our own President, Darlene Jackson, about the importance of raising your voice, while remaining respectful, regardless of the situation.
The keynote was delivered by the co-founder of the TEND Academy, Françoise Mathieu. Françoise was comforting and empowering. She was able to connect through personal stories, validate the feelings of our members, and provide insight into the path forward and how members can best navigate. Françoise discussed the need for recovery after high stress situations, and the reality that a lot of our members likely have not had that chance. Françoise highlighted “Pandemic Amnesia” and the struggle to honour victims while serving our basic human needs to move forward, as well as the “Window of Tolerance” and how we know when we are out of it.
The afternoon sessions looked at topics such as Workload Staffing Reports (WSRs), Union Executive Roles, and Grievance and Arbitration. These sessions were hosted by MNU Labour Relations officers who are experts in their field and were able to offer guidance and support as well as take live questions for members.
When polled after the event, 91% of attendees surveyed said they left the day feeling empowered and better equipped to deal with some of their workplace issues, and 98% of polled attendees said they would recommend future Education Conferences to their MNU colleagues.
This is just the beginning of new educational opportunities for our members. Keep your eyes on The Pulse and our website for upcoming educational events.
To view a recording of our keynote speaker Françoise Mathieu, please click here and use this case sensitive password: MNU06
Please note: The keynote link will expire, and the video will no longer be available after November 14, 2022.
To view a recording of the panel discussion, please click view the Resource Library.