Caitlan Smith didn’t always see herself as an activist in our union. “I didn’t really feel like I had much of a voice,” says the member from eCycle Solutions. That changed when she joined about a dozen other UFCW 1518 members at Harrison Hot Springs for a five-day Youth Internship Program. There, Caitlan learned about her rights in the workplace and gained confidence in standing up for herself through exercises like mock negotiations. Caitlan’s work in our union also connected her with the BC Federation of Labour, where she took a course that prepared her to teach kids about unions and labour rights in schools across BC. “I learned that you don’t have to be a shop steward to help people out,” she says. By learning about her rights, Caitlan was inspired to help spread that knowledge and push others to “do the right thing and stand up for themselves.” Every UFCW 1518 member has a right to make their voice heard, both in our union and their workplace. If you are interested in becoming more involved in our union’s activism, check out our Events as well as the Education available to all members.