VANCOUVER—CUPE helped rock the ‘hood in Vancouver’s Strathcona Park Saturday as three locals, CUPE BC, CUPE Metro and CUPE National sponsored “Justice Rocks”, a one-day social justice festival put on by Pivot Legal Society. CUPE Locals 15, 391 and 1004 planned CUPE’s participation and staffed the booth along with CUPE BC’s Young Workers’ Task Force.
Trevor Davies, co-chair of the Young Workers’ Task Force says, “This was a great opportunity to engage the public and talk about the social and community projects that CUPE is involved in.”
The event is geared to social action and many people stopped to fill in postcards and take lawn signs in support of ambulance paramedics (CUPE 873) who are entering their six month of being on strike.
CUPE’s booth was popular with the crowd, who appreciated great giveaways including first aid kits, organic apples and stainless steel water bottles. Folks (and their four-legged friends) were able to fill those bottles with public water, thanks to the efforts of CUPE 1004 and the City of Vancouver. CUPE got lots of votes for best booth, despite sponsor booths not being on the ballot.
CUPE held a draw for five IPod Shuffles engraved with “Rock on with CUPE” along with a black Justice Rocks T-shirt. The event ran from two in the afternoon to eight o’clock at night with many people coming and going during the day.
Davies looks forward to participating next year. “Being a part of Justice Rocks is a chance to show people that CUPE cares about, and is a part of, their community — and is an organization that they can trust.”
To view more photos from Justice Rocks, visit the CUPE BC Galleries.
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