The labour movement practice of calling one another “sister” or“brother” clashes with a growing consciousness about the perils of classifying people into a strict gender binary, and many union activists are demanding change. 

“We’re erased in many facets of our lives, and so to not be erased and be visible in the labour movement is important,” says Charlie Huntley, a Halifax-based union organizer.

The common greeting of “sister” or “brother” happens in various contexts: delegates are often referred to as “the brother at the microphone,” union leaders often address each other as “sister,” followed by their name, and speeches usually start with “sisters and brothers” as a broad greeting.

These terms are necessarily exclusive. As more union activists are asserting trans and non-binary identities, many union activists are reflecting on the use of “sisters” and “brothers” and, more importantly, what might replace these terms.

To begin to imagine what could replace calling one another “sister” or “brother,” it’s important to start with why these terms are used at all. These greetings are intended for workers to instantly bond with one another based on their relationship to the bosses. If you don’t know a person’s name and you’re walking on a picket line together, calling them “sister” is a warm gesture. Warmer, at least, then saying “oh, hey.”

But the gender binary doesn’t capture everyone. And these old notions of symbolic solidarity probably didn’t even emerge from the need of a nameless, familiar honorific to separate the workers from the bosses.

The use of brother as a moniker was normal in fraternal societies, popular more than a century ago. Many of these groups were exclusive to men and members would refer to each other as brother. York University professor and labour historian Craig Heron says that this deeply informed how early craft-unions operated. “Brother” was to signify that workers were part of a brotherhood, a nod to the importance of solidarity among the union’s ranks. And many brotherhoods remain to this day, like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

Lindsay Kearns is an electrician and proud to be affiliated with a union, but feels erased by the lack of acknowledgement that women work in the trades.

“When all the textbooks and worksheets and exams and teachers at the trade school use only male examples to illustrate their points, the fact that I was being called a ‘brother’ in the union (and a ‘journeyman’ once fully qualified) fit in with how people like me are considered an mostly invisible side-note in the industry at large,” she writes.

But rather than pushing harder to include “sisters,” Kearns prefers to be called worker, or better, fellow worker.

There’s no doubt that the terms “brother” and “sister” are exclusive. Trans, non-binary, and gender-fluid members who are fighting for visibility, rights, and space are erased and marginalized when a meeting chairperson has no way to acknowledge them at a microphone, or worse, misgenders them. The trouble is, there are few options that could be subbed in for these words and maintain the same reference to a familial network. This means that labour activists need to consider upending the use of these terms entirely.

At the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s (SFL) convention in October, a motion was passed that encouraged members to “expand their range of options when referring to each other apart from ‘sister’ and ‘brother.’” The motion was served by CUPE Local 4828, the union representing the staff at the SFL and includes a list of alternative monikers: “fellow worker, unionist, comrade, sibling, or by simply using another worker’s name.”

For Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) members, “fellow worker” is the default. Fellow worker is useful not just because it’s gender neutral, but it’s also more obvious and a better reflection of workers’ relationships with one another.

Many labour activists have called for “sisters and brothers” to be replaced with “comrade,” a word with a radical history that is also gender neutral. But, there are some problems with the term: socialists who use “comrade” to refer to fellow socialists or radicals aren’t likely to feel comfortable referring to a fellow worker as a comrade, especially if that worker is an outward supporter of the Conservative Party, for example.

Huntley isn’t sure that “comrades” should replace “sisters and brothers” in all situations, but is clear that there must be a change: “When I hear a labour crowd addressed as ‘sisters and brothers’ I shudder, feel unwelcome, and erased. When someone addresses a group with ‘sisters, brothers, and non-binary siblings’ or ‘sisters, brothers and comrades’ I feel included and a little proud, because I know that someone took the time to work that out… They had a hard or awkward conversation and they learned a thing about trans people.”

For our special 50th anniversary issue, Canada’s brightest, boldest, and most rebellious thinkers, doers, and creators share their best big ideas. Through ideas macro and micro, radical and everyday, we present 50 essays, think pieces, and calls to action. Picture: plans for sustainable food systems, radical legislation, revolutionary health care, a greener planet, Indigenous self-government, vibrant cities, safe spaces, peaceful collaboration, and more—we encouraged our writers to dream big, to hope, and to courageously share their ideas and wish lists for our collective better future. Here’s to another 50 years!

In Canada, a lot of work has been done to develop two great organizations: There’s the Canadian Actor’s Equity Association (CAEA or Equity), an association that operates not unlike a union; and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), a union with a 70-yearplus history in Canada—anything that happens on TV, film, or radio falls into its territory. Both of these acronyms do tremendous work for artists of almost every discipline, ensuring they get treated fairly and compensated accordingly. However, there is a grey area of non-union work.

When it comes to dance in Canada almost everything else falls under non-union work. A lot of stage productions and film work identify themselves as non-union, generally because their budgets are not large enough to accommodate and abide by the standards set by ACTRA or CAEA. That is totally understandable. We need these smaller non-union jobs to help artists gain the experience and momentum to go from their humble beginnings to the expert professionals who can create the shows and music we love.

The issue presents itself when a huge company, brand, and/or musician puts a call out for non-union work. In most cases the wage is nearly non-existent (or actually non-existent). For example, at Toronto’s 2015 Pan Am games, the opening ceremonies featured many dazzling acts and 60 local professional dancers. These dancers had nearly 150 hours of rehearsal. How much were they compensated? A transit pass for the month of June—valued at $140. You can’t make this up. Surely somewhere in the $2.5-billion dollar budget (that had room for Cirque du Soleil, international choreographers, Kanye West, and a second fully compensated cast of dancers) there must have been room to pay the opening ceremonies cast—and if there wasn’t, maybe they shouldn’t have been hired.

Many dancers are routinely hired by big name acts for far, far less than minimum wage. Artists create culture, and without culture who are we? What would life be without arts and entertainment? There are many groups, individuals, and organizations fighting to improve conditions for dancers, but we can’t do it alone. We need the public to support our goals. The harder it is for artists to get paid properly, the harder it is for them to create. A great number of dance artists vacate Canada because they know they can be better compensated abroad. We need to fight for our artists so they are fairly compensated at home and feel valued here in Canada. We need to stand by them so they feel supported when they tell these offers of opportunity and exposure: “I’m worth more.”

Photo courtesy of Thomas L. Colford/Instagram

Coworkers call Rabia Syed the “all star” of organizing. At 50 years old, Syed has spent more than half her life working tirelessly in union rights activism. Today, she is a full-time organizer for Workers United, a union that assists non-unionized workers in Canada and the U.S. to achieve the change they want to see in their workplace.

Her job title isn’t as simple as it may sound. As a union organizer, Syed listens to the concerns of non-unionized workers across the country and helps them come together to demand fairness in their workplace. She often takes bold actions opposing employers who are positioned firmly against unions, organizing for workers in health and retirement care, manufacturing, travel and tourism—to name just a few. Some of her biggest wins, as Syed calls them, include unionizing the first Sunrise Senior Living retirement home in North America in 2006. She also organized for a 62-year-old registered nurse to keep her job after her employer, essentially, deemed she was too old to work. “That brings me joy—that we can change the unions,” Syed says. “I couldn’t ask for a more meaningful career.”

Syed’s enthusiasm for helping others has long run through her blood. Born and raised in the Philippines, Syed came to understand what poverty was. As a child, she saw people around her struggling financially to feed their families. However, it was in the Philippines that Syed also discovered a sense of community: in dark times, people would find the help they needed from their neighbours. Her parents taught her to respect others who wanted help. Though Syed moved to Canada when she was 20 years old, it was in the Philippines that she decided to dedicate her life to helping others.

People have taken notice to Syed’s unconditional care for those seemingly without a voice. Workers United union organizer Matt Gailitis has worked with Syed for more than nine years and believes that she works tirelessly for other people by empowering and empathizing with them. “She brings a lot of hope to workers,” he says, “and makes people realize things can be better.”

Syed, however, rarely gives herself such credit—she considers herself to be like the workers she organizes. When talking about what motivates her to do her job, Syed attributes her co-workers for reminding her of the strides she has taken. And though she perhaps underestimates her ability to change lives, Syed is so inspiring even her children have taken up the battle of fighting for equality. Syed has four children, some of which have written and performed songs about workers rights and fair wages. The younger generation is taking workers rights seriously, Syed says. “It’s beautiful.”

Despite progress, Syed says that workers rights in Canada need more attention. “It’s important for workers to know their rights. Race, gender, age these are all barriers and discrimination people face today,” she says, “they also face it in the workplace.”