Putting Working People First

September 20, 2024

By David Eby, Premier of British Columbia

Unions have long been the path along which working people have travelled to join the middle class.

I’m reminded of the benefits of union membership every time grandpa visits our family. My father-in-law was a longshoreman and a union member. His wages and benefits helped lift his family into the middle class. It gave his children options in life. His daughter, who is my wife and partner Cailey, studied to become a nurse and is now a practicing family doctor. His union’s advocacy for safety means he’s able to play with his grandkids.

After years of erosion of the middle class, more and more people are discovering the benefits of unions and supporting organized labour. Once again, unions are on the rise.

Our government knows that unions are critical for expanding the middle class and enabling people to build a good life here. We also know government has a direct role to play here too.

That’s why we’re working to deliver fair wages, affordable homes, and a strong, public health system that provides the care you need when you need it.

By restricting short-term rentals, we’re choosing long-term homes for people instead of big profits for investors. By speeding up approvals, we’re building more homes faster. By using public lands to build housing we will put homes in reach for people with middle-incomes. And we’re making sure homes are for families – not speculators looking to make a quick buck – through a new BC home-flipping tax.

Instead of cutting taxes for those at the top, we’re cutting costs for you and your family to address inflation and rising costs.

Childcare bills have been cut in half or more for many parents. Bridge tolls are now a thing of the past, and we eliminated MSP to deliver the largest middle-class tax cut in a generation.

ICBC rates are down by hundreds of dollars. That’s what can be done when you put out a dumpster fire set by those who do not believe in the value of a public auto insurer.

Government can choose to leave people to fend for themselves with higher fees and slashed services, leaving our housing market vulnerable to wealthy speculators. Or government can have your back by expanding public education, by strengthening health care, and by delivering affordable homes for people.

Instead of cutting, we’re building schools, hospitals, roads, bridges, public transit, and more homes.

Instead of firing, we’re hiring nurses, teachers, and more of the people who provide the services you need.

We’re doing all of this while delivering the strongest economy with the highest wages in Canada, while implementing one of the most effective climate action plans in the country.

Together we’re proving that supporting people, protecting our environment, and growing our economy are not mutually exclusive. They’re linked together.

We believe in making life better for all British Columbians, and we can’t do it alone.

That’s why our government brought back single-step certification, making it easier to join a union.

And that’s also why we’re investing in skills training so people can take advantage of the many opportunities in an economy that works for all of us.

Because everyone at the supper table should be able to plan a good life for themselves and their loved ones.

 

This article was originally published in the Summer 2024 edition of the Local Voice magazine.