February is Black History Month, a time to recognize the history, contributions, and experiences of Black communities past and present. In Canada, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Black History Month, making it an important moment to reflect on the people and movements that have shaped our country and continue to influence it today. Black history is not separate from Canadian history. It is part of our shared story, reflected in culture, public life, and ongoing efforts toward equity.
As we mark this milestone, Black History Month invites learning, reflection, and action. It is a time to acknowledge both progress and the work that remains.
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Jan Simpson is a Barbadian-Canadian labour leader and President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), a position she has held since 2019.
Born in Barbados, Simpson moved to Toronto with her family at the age of three. She spent more than three decades working for Canada Post before entering union leadership, first elected as a CUPW representative in 2011. In 2015, she became First-National Vice President, becoming the first Black person to serve on the union’s national executive. Four years later, she was elected president, becoming the first Black woman to lead a national union in Canada.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Simpson was a prominent voice on worker safety, raising concerns in April 2020 about conditions facing Amazon employees. In November 2021, CUPW filed a grievance on behalf of postal workers who refused COVID-19 vaccination. While urging members to get vaccinated, Simpson said the union opposed workers losing their jobs when other measures could protect workplace health and safety.
Simpson was re-elected as CUPW president in May 2023 and led the union through the 2024 Canada Post strike.
She has also been a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists since 2005.
For those who may not be aware – The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) is a nonprofit organization of African American trade union members affiliated with the AFL–CIO. More than 50 different international and national trade unions are represented in CBTU and there are 50 chapters in the United States and one in Ontario, Canada.
