How Manitoba unions are supporting Indigenous students through a new Labour Studies Prize
In 2024, many unions in Manitoba came together to establish the Manitoba Unions Indigenous Student Prize in Labour Studies with a goal to invest in the future of the labour movement and act on a genuine commitment to truth and reconciliation. Their generosity is helping open pathways for Indigenous students to step into leadership roles within unions and strengthen representation across the sector.
The idea began with the Winnipeg Association of Public Service Officers (WAPSO), one of the Manitoba Federation of Labour’s member unions. As part of their Truth and Reconciliation efforts, WAPSO proposed a scholarship to support Indigenous students pursuing Labour Studies at the University of Manitoba. They brought the idea forward to the broader labour community, and interest quickly grew. Within a short time, multiple unions collaborated to fund a substantial student prize.
The unions also agreed on valuing the education provided by UM's Labor Studies Program, as ideal candidates to be union staff and union leaders are people who have a labour studies background. Through this prize, the hope is to create more of a direct pipeline between Indigenous students that come out of the labour studies program and into the union movement.
Labour Studies Program Coordinator David Camfield emphasizes that while many Indigenous workers are active union members, they remain underrepresented in elected and staff roles.
By supporting Indigenous students’ academic success and reducing financial pressures, such as the need to work long hours while studying, the prize can help create the conditions for more students to enter and thrive in the field.
Beginning in the 2025-26 academic year, the annual $5,000 award will support an Indigenous student who is majoring or minoring in Labour Studies and has completed at least nine credit hours toward their program.
“The unions deliberately chose to make the prize large enough to be transformative,” says Rothney. “They wanted the award to effectively cover somebody’s full tuition to encourage greater participation and remove financial barriers.”
Expanding eligibility to include students minoring in Labour Studies ensures more students can benefit, while also widening the pipeline of potential future union leaders.
This prize offers more than financial support:
For Manitoba’s unions, this prize is both an act of generosity and a strategic investment in the future of the labour movement—one that is more representative, more equitable, and more reflective of the communities it serves.
“We hope the prize will create pathways for Indigenous students to learn about labour studies and then pursue careers in the labour movement, whether that be as union member activists, elected union leaders, or union staff members,” says Rothney.
If you’re an Indigenous student considering a career that advances justice for workers and strengthens communities, this prize can be the first step toward that future. Visit the Labour Studies website to learn more.
What does a future fueled by generosity look like? It’s in the faces of new graduates with big ideas, in bold research solutions for Manitoba and the world, and in community initiatives coming to life in collaborative ways. Here, a legacy of philanthropy is shaping the leaders, innovators and change-makers of tomorrow. Learn how you can get involved.
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