Bertossa and the National President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Mark Hancock, addressed the AFSCME board and then joined a discussion with board members. Gibb and Hancock also spoke at the convention on the “International Labor Leaders” panel.

“We need our international, multiracial, working-class solidarity more than ever,” said AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride, who moderated the discussion in front of almost 4000 delegates gathered in LA.

Gibb talked specifically about the care economy — a key component of the “Fearless Agenda” AFSCME President Lee Saunders announced in his keynote address — and the common challenges facing care workers in different countries.

In the care sector, Gibb said, low worker pay, short staffing and burnout are common.

“Conditions are the most consistent across the globe” in this sector compared to others, he said, adding that workers constantly face psychological distress and moral injury or burnout.

“Our fight is really about equal pay for work of equal value,” he said.

Hancock talked about a CUPE campaign to keep public water services in the public sector and draw attention to the struggle of indigenous communities to access safe drinking water. Called “Water is Life,” the campaign’s goal is to protect their communities’ access to water from profiteers.

Hancock and Gibb reminded AFSCME members in the audience of a couple of essential elements to fostering solidarity: good communication with fellow workers, including one-on-one conversations, and sharing our victories, to show others how it’s done and inspire them to take action.