Local 401 Members at Calgary Quest Put A Little Love In Our Hearts

December 17, 2019 – Calgary, AB. At this year’s Calgary Quest Christmas Concert, few could hold back their tears as students and staff alike shared a heart-warming expression of the love and care that goes into making the school a special place. Staff at the special needs school are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401.

The school gymnasium was packed as students and staff took the stage to sing songs and perform routines with festive themes. Attendees were parents and community members, including representatives from UFCW Local 401.

In case you missed it, we were able to capture the Quest staff’s rendition of Annie Lennox and Al Green’s “Put a Little Love in Your Heart.” Check it out!

“It feels good to be a part of the Calgary Quest community,” said Michelle Cahill, the UFCW Local 401 Union Labour Relations Officer for the school. “Quest is a special place, and it’s so clear that a big reason why is because of the special bond the staff create with the students every single day. It is a labour of love and an honour to witness.”

In 2015, staff at Quest School, including teachers, instructional assistants, and support staff, voted to join UFCW Local 401 in an effort to improve their ability to serve the students they love so much. Staff wanted to belong to the same union, and after a trying process that relied on help from parents and new allies in the labour community, they won their union and their first union contract.

“There is a symbiotic relationship and connection between Quest’s students and staff,” said Cahill. “When we nurture that connection, the whole community benefits. This concert just shows that so beautifully.”

Quest staff and students put a lot of love in our hearts.

UFCW Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private sector union with 32,000 members working in sectors of the economy as diverse as retail, food production, warehousing, healthcare, and education.

Posted on: December 19,2019