Metadata

Past Perfect Productions
2012 | 20 min
English (English and French subtitles)

A Struggle to Remember: Fighting for our Families examines the decisive role that organized labour, working together with Canadian feminists, played in winning over public opinion and achieving improvements in maternity leave and other family leave benefits.

The film starts with the changes underway in women’s role in society and the workplace through the 1960s, then uses interviews with key leaders and archival footage to highlight the pivotal role of struggles led by the Common Front in Quebec, the 1980 strike by members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and the 1981 strike by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Early gains by public sector unions opened the door to wins by private sector unions, as well as pressure for government legislation to cover those not protected through a collective agreement. Over the years, unions have continued the fight to extend these early gains to cover fully paid leave, parental leave, adoptive families, and care and nurturing leave.