Our History
Welcome Labour history buffs: this is a repository for UCTE history and relevant history of our various employers. This will also be of interest to those interested in history of Canadian airports, the Canadian Coast Guard, the federal transport department, the Canadian Space Agency, and more.
Building a Modern Union – Part IV: Building solidarity was hard work
September 27, 2021The Civil Service Federation (CSF) did not operate as a union. Its name said it all – it was a federation of associations. A key role was helping small local association come together into larger ones in an attempt to...
Building a Modern Union – Part III: Militancy was growing day by day
September 20, 2021At the end of the Great War workers were frustrated and angry with the government and businesses. There was little concern for their contribution to the war effort or the welfare of their families. Militancy was growing day by day...
International Day of Democracy — Public Service Employment Act: Your Rights During Elections
September 15, 2021According to the United Nations General Assembly, September 15, since 2007, has been designated as the International Day of Democracy through a resolution to encourage governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy. That is why today we want to take the...
Building a Modern Union – Part II: Searching for unity
September 13, 2021An organization like the Union of Canadian Transportation Union (UCTE) or the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) does not spring out of the air fully formed. These are organizations that were built on years of hard work and effort....
Building a Modern Union – Part I: Building a union for federal workers
September 6, 2021An organization like the Union of Canadian Transportation Union (UCTE) or the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) does not spring out of the air fully formed. These are organizations that were built on years of hard work and effort....
“Educate, Agitate, and Organize” in our communities
May 25, 2021While workers in Canada started organizing themselves into unions in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia as early as 1812, the real boom took place in the 1860s and 70s. There was a new country being formed and a workforce that...
International Women’s Day – Christine Collins, UCTE’s first female National President
March 8, 2021In 1975, the United Nations proclaimed “International Women’s Year” which led to a resolution designating March 8 as “International Women’s Day”. This year, we take a moment to recognize past and present contributions of all our sisters who work to...
Black History Month – A founder of UCTE and PSAC: Percy Bourne
February 3, 2021Black History Month is a time to learn more about Canadian stories and the many important contributions of Black Canadians to the settlement, growth and development of our country. The movement was largely a grass root one. It got official...
We will periodically add more articles from our archives to this page. If you have any suggestions or requests, please feel free to get in touch using the comment form below.
In 2023, UCTE published United in Action, an official history of the UCTE from the very beginnings of worker organizing in the federal public service.
