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VICTORIA—More than fifty Unifor members from across the province participated in meetings during April 2–4 with MLAs from their regions and cabinet ministers overseeing key economic sectors.
“This was a great opportunity to directly communicate the ideas and concerns of working people with the very decision-makers who update B.C.’s laws and regulations to improve working conditions for all,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director. “Lobby meetings are an important tool in our broader approach to affecting change for workers.”
Unifor members met with the premier, most of the cabinet, and several government MLAs from constituencies where members live and work. In addition to discussing forestry, transit, and pay equity, Unifor members shared recommendations for improving employment standards and strengthening workers’ bargaining power.
Krista Lee Hanson, a transit operator from Unifor Local 111 in Vancouver, was at the legislature during lobby week to meet with Labour Minister Harry Bains: “The BCNDP government has done a good job undoing the damage done by Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark. We urged the government to continue this momentum and take responsibility for expanding bargaining power for workers, such as sectoral bargaining in areas like transit, container trucking, and hospitality.”
Hanson said in areas where workers can already bargain sector-wide, such as healthcare or automotive manufacturing, workers enjoy a higher standard of living.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
