Women have taken home the majority of the hardware at the annual Gary L. Parent Activists Awards.
Of the nine individual awards dished out by the Windsor and District Labour Council, five were taken home by women.
A positive change according to Unifor 444's Sue McKinnon.
She took home the women's activism award.
Sue McKinnon accepts her Gary L. Parent Activists Award for her work supporting women in the workplace. @AM800News #cklw pic.twitter.com/kwDtGTTlXp
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) May 25, 2017
"Absolutely amazing, you know with the power of the union behind you, collectively it's going to make a difference, and it will make a difference," says McKinnon. "We're moving that needle forward, we're going to break through that glass ceiling, and we're going to close that gender wage-gap."
Cupe' 82's Leilani Longronio and Natalie Popovic shared the public service award.
Longronio says the support from fellow union members is making a difference.
"I believe we're paving the path for more women to be involved. We actually did have a recent event where we had more women come out," says Longronio. "I won't say it has been easy, but the support we have from our brothers and just the comradery amongst out members is making a difference."
Popovic says women moving into union positions is becoming more accepted and it's starting to initiate real change.
"We work in a predominantly male work force. For two women to come in and start leading and changing things, and getting more women involved. It's really great," says Popovic.
The annual awards ceremony recognizes union members who have made a difference in the community.
Other recipients include Mireille Coral, Social Justice; Marguerite Bastien, Public Education Advocacy; Rick Labonte, Environmental; Chris Ferrigan, Clifton Grant Health and Safety; Bob Cruise, Human Rights; Enver Villamizar, Political Action. The Unemployed Help Centre wins the Community Partner Award.