The BC Federation of Labour takes place from November 25 to 29 in downtown Vancouver. MoveUP will have a team of delegates there to represent our union to the BC labour movement.

Follow this page as we provide updates from the Convention.

The theme for the 2024 BC Federation of Labour is “A future worth fighting for.” To look up posts on social media, search for #bcfed2024.

For more on the BC Federation of Labour Convention, including the Convention book, Resolutions book, and Agenda, click here.

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Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Friday, November 29

The final day of Convention began with Sam Wiese, president of the BC Federation of Retired Union Members (BC FORUM), letting delegates know about the work that they do and encouraging delegates who are near or at retirement to join them, as well as thanking the unions that have supported their work. Learn more about BC Forum at bcforum.ca.

A presentation by the BCFED Health & Safety Centre followed to talk about the work their organization engages in to support health and safety with a focus on workers, rather than industry. They called out how workers are quick to be blamed for injuries rather than employers (behaviour-based safety) and how workers have been clear that behaviour-based safety is nonsense.

They dove into the history and current work of the BCFED Health & Safety Centre, sharing how they operated through funding from the WCB and how they’re continuing to push for funding from the WCB to fund a centre that assists all workers with processing their WCB claims. The BCFED Health & Safety Centre has staff who are represented by MoveUP. Learn more about the BCFED Health & Safety Centre at healthandsafetybc.ca.

Using a point of privilege, MoveUP delegate Ajay spoke about the ongoing atrocities in India, especially violence towards with women, the attacks the Indian government has conducted against Canadian citizens on Canadian soil, as well as the continued violence against the Khalistan movement.

Resolutions with the noted calls to action passed on the final day of Convention are as follows (asterisk indicates a resolution submitted by MoveUP or a composite resolution which incorporates a resolution MoveUP submitted):

• Resolution 2442: Support USW and forest unions’ call for action on the forest crisis, support changes to the forest policy to ensure access to fibre is tied to manufacturing that generates jobs in BC communities, lobby that government programs, investments and forest policies require employment of unionized forest workers, and ensure that the softwood lumber dispute is settled fairly before any renewal of the US-Canada-Mexico free trade agreement.
• Resolution 2444: Support a campaign to protect and grow domestic manufacturing by lobbying to ensure government infrastructure contain “Buy Canadian” and “Buy Union” provisions, lobby for better trade laws, and encourage governments to maintain reliable, affordable access to energy to domestic producers to support jobs in BC.
• Resolution 2411: Lobby the Ministry of Education and Childcare to continue to increase funding for children with all levels of disabilities and diverse needs in public K-12 schools.
• Resolution 2485: Lobby the provincial government to review the current Persons with Disabilities (PWD) assistance rates and increase the assistance amount to no less than $1,800 per month for a single person, and equitable increases for PWD recipients in other categories, and that the rate be reviewed annually to keep pace with increases in cost of living.
• Resolution 2489: Lobby to scrap the Temporary Foreign Worker program and protect migrant workers.
• Resolution 2486: Lobby the provincial government to advance an Anti-Ableism Data Act in order to collect accurate data regarding the lived experiences of people who live with disabilities.
• Resolution 24-107: Lobby the BC government and WCB to amend the exposure registry and create a defined category for unregulated substances and collect data on these exposures to support the workers affected.

All outstanding resolutions that did not hit the floor during the 2024 BCFED Convention were referred to the executive council of the BCFED for consideration.

Solidarity Forever
For the Union makes us strong.

Thursday, November 28

Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske kicked off the proceedings on the penultimate day of the 2024 BCFED Convention.

Bea first congratulated the BC union members for being successful in re-electing a BC NDP government, which included successfully elected a number of MLAs that come from the labour movement. She said that was only possible because of the work of the labour movement to knock on doors and talk to people, saying when workers lead, every single person can win.”

She also acknowledged the lobbying that is taking place in Ottawa by the labour movement to fight for issues critical to workers, and let delegates know they can also take part virtually by texting “LOBBY” to 55255.

Bea talked about some of the significant wins that labour has been able to move on the federal level thanks to the work of Jagmeet Singh and the NDP including the first stages of a pharmacare plan, federal anti-scab legislation, and the Sustainable Jobs Act.

She also spoke about the CLC’s Workers Together campaign which is fighting to address the issues that workers are dealing with including costs and the widening gap between workers and those at the top.

Bea also warned about the attacks on unions that Pierre Poilievre has launched to weaken unions’ ability to fight for their members and warned that a Conservative government led by Poilievre poses a clear and present danger to all workers in Canada.

Bea directly quoted the Conservative platform and their direct anti-worker and anti-union stance and urged workers not to be swayed by the Conservatives’ sweet-nothings.

She encouraged unions to work with their local labour councils and other unions to be prepared for the next federal election.

“When we stand together and organize, there is nothing we can’t achieve,” she said in her closing. “Let’s leave this convention inspired and let’s have each other’s back.”

Following Bea’s speech, elections were held for various trustee positions as well as the two top positions at the BCFED. Most notably, Sussanne Skidmore and Hermender Singh Kailley were acclaimed to the positions of BCFED President and BCFED Secretary-Treasurer, respectively.

Just before delegates broke for lunch, Canada’s NDP leader Jagmeet Singh took to the stage to greet the delegates at Convention. Jagmeet first congratulated Sussanne Skidmore and Hermender Singh Kailley on being re-elected to their respective positions with the BCFED, and then thanked everybody in the room for working for our members and for making communities better.

Jagmeet gave a shout out to MoveUP member Vanessa Sharma, who is running as the NDP candidate in the federal by-election in Cloverdale-Langley City which takes place on December 16. Jagmeet also paid tribute to the late John Horgan and congratulated the BC NDP on their recent provincial election victory.

Jagmeet said the labour movement believe in the Canadian dream – to have one job, put food on the table, and have enough time left over for friends and family. But he acknowledged that many people continue to struggle with the cost-of-living. He shared a story about how he grew up struggling financially and he got through that time with his family, but said if the cost of groceries were as high back then as they are now, he would not have been able to get through it.

He said people said people are being let down by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has sided with billionaires and CEOs over working people time after time again invoking port workers, rail workers, and postal workers. His message to Trudeau was to not interfere in the way of workers fighting for a fair contract.

On the Conservatives, Jagmeet says he called Pierre Poilievre “King Cut” because he wants to cut all the things that people need including pensions and employment insurance and health care. He brought up Poilievre’s known track record for fighting against unions, making it harder for unions to fight for fair wages.

Jagmeet said he wants people to think of the New Democratic Party as the home of labour and says that the NDP will always choose workers every day all the time. He mentioned how the Liberals are weakening the GST break, turning it from permanent to just a ‘holiday; and not have it applicable to monthly bills, and how the Conservatives plan to vote against it. He also talked about the threat being posed by the 25 percent tariffs threatened by incoming US President Donald Trump and said now is the time to fight back and to fight like hell to protect Canadian jobs and Canadian interests.

To support workers, he also we also need to make sure workers have a home. But, by design, the Conservatives and Liberals have designed a housing market that works well for rich investors or developers but is a mess and failure for working people. He says we need to ban corporate landlords from buying affordable housing in this country.

“We need to build homes that workers can actually afford,” said Jagmeet. “We need to look at government finally building homes that workers can afford. We need not-for-profit housing and co-operative housing and non-market housing.”

Jagmeet also called out large groceries for their record profits at a time when food banks are seeing record numbers of people needing to access them.

He ended by saying he’s not only running for Prime Minister, he is running to be the first labour Prime Minister.

At lunch time, a rally was held outside the Vancouver Convention Centre as is tradition at the BCFED Convention. This year’s rally was in support of the members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) who are currently on strike.

Cole Reinbold, Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Federation of Students, also addressed delegates at Convention. Cole spoke about the past wins of the BCFS including $15 minimum wage in 2014, knocking out student loans in 2017, and making adult education free in 2018, but now is that time to demand elected officials to do more to support post-secondary education. The BCFS is calling on the provincial government to add $500 million yearly to the post-secondary budget and asked for the support of BCFED affiliates to support the Fund It, Fix It campaign. Learn more at funditfixit.ca.

Resolutions with the noted calls to action passed on the fourth day of Convention are as follows (asterisk indicates a resolution submitted by MoveUP or a composite resolution which incorporates a resolution MoveUP submitted):

• Resolution 2440: Campaign for employers and the provincial government to implement a permanent cost-of-living adjustment for workers receiving long-term disability income, and encourage and support affiliates to make this a bargaining priority.
• Resolution 2449: Lobby the provincial government to increase funding for attracting people to live in Northern BC communities and for funds to improve health care, affordable housing options and transportation in Northern BC.
• Resolution 2405 Amended: Encourage affiliates members to align collective agreement expirations across the province and nationally where possible, and in the event of back-to-work legislation, consider the act as an aggression against all members and will take any actions the BCFED Executive Council deems necessary to assist the ally who is a victim of legislation, up to and including a declaration of a general strike.
• Resolution 2439: Reaffirm its commitment to strong public health care and continue to lobby the provincial government to eliminate all forms of privatization within government agencies like the WCB.
• Resolution 24-125: Oppose the negotiation of two-tiered contracts and recommend to its affiliates that they adopt a similar policy.
• Resolution 24-124: Lobby the provincial government to create a wage premium for training or mentoring workers or practicum students.
• Resolution 24-130: Work with affiliates to develop a comprehensive training, development, and retention program to help prevent the attrition of young workers from union involvement as they age out of young workers committees.
• Resolution 24-128: Lobby the provincial government and call upon the CLC to lobby the federal government to take action towards ending youth houselessness and near houselessness by funding various levels of housing for youth including high-barrier, supportive housing sites with wrap-around support services and low-barrier shelters and housing.
• Resolution 24-126: Organize a lobby of young workers to the newly-elected government to demand policies that specifically benefit and support young workers in areas such as employment, education, and housing.
• Resolution 2401: Advocate for the provincial government to prioritize enforcement of skilled trades certification through increased funding for inspections and stricter penalties for non-compliance, call on the government to collaborate with unions, industry stakeholders, and educational institutions to ensure all workers in compulsory trades are properly trained and certified, and engage in a public awareness campaign to highlight the value of compulsory certification for worker safety, consumer protection and the strength of the economy.

Wednesday, November 27

The third day of Convention began with a keynote address from Faye Johnstone, a trans woman and the executive director of Wisdom2Action, a 2SLGBTQIA+ owned and operated consulting firm and social enterprise.

Fae spoke about how Canada’s history has been full of discrimination, dehumanization, violence and inequality towards 2SLGTBQIA+ community but talked about they grew up in a Canada full of hope towards and progress towards inclusion, but that recently there has been an intense rise in homophobia and transphobia.

They spoke about how many Conservative governments have made it their goal to try and pit communities against one another, and when that happens it allows them to consolidate power and create policies that go against working people.

They mentioned that the state structure that brought hostility and discrimination to queer and trans communities are a colonial import.

Fae shared her experience of being the target of harassment around the world by the likes of Tucker Carlson and other right-wing media as being a symbol of everything they hated, but talked about how the allies that came to support them was from the labour movement.

They said the fundamental goal is to fight for freedom, dignity, equality, and how when governments try to override charter rights to go after trans people, it opens the door for them to go other people including workers.

They talked about the resurgent, far-right groups and governments that have fundamentally restricted rights of queer and trans people, included health care, and have worked to deny trans women to women’s spaces.

Fae shared what some of the policy and legislative regressions looks like, which includes: forcing transgender students to stay in the closet, pitting parents against children and youth; interfering in the provision of evidence-based gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth and their families; banning transgender people from sports and recreation; limiting access to education about diversity, gender and sexuality; and limiting the ability of trans people to participate in public life and access essential service.

They said that for these far-right governments and politicians, this isn’t about trans people. They are just a means to an end.

“Regressive far right groups and out-of-touch politicians are using anti-trans rhetoric as a means to an end – to gain power,” Fae wrote in their slide presentation. “We are under attack. Queer and trans people can’t win this alone. We need to fight back, fight smart, and organize to win.”

Fae went on to talk about the lessons they have learned through their work with the Society of Queer Momentum, especially the things that have not worked and what does work. They said we have to reject perfectionism and focus on the things that do work which includes reclaiming freedom and reclaiming common sense; meeting people where they’re at and setting the discourse aside; coalition building and movement coordination; effective, intentional, caring messaging focused on values and what we’re for, not just what we’re against; and hope and defiance.

They ended by talking about our next federal election where the narrative is favouring the Conservatives. They said that Pierre Poillievre is willing to sacrifice his values to use dog whistles that pit us against each other.

“To win, we have to work together, to build power, change hearts and minds, and fight for the big issues that matter to all of all,” they said. “Those are affordability, housing, health care, and human rights

“When we are divided, they win. Wheen we are united, we can change the world.”

The three spaces where they invite support are: Amplification and Advocacy; Education and Engagement; and help build movement infrastructure and power.

A strong queer movement means a stronger progressive movement which means more victories and more power.

“We are defiant in the face of hate. We are united in the face of division,” they write on their closing slide. “I believe that we will win.”

Calls to Action:

• Sign up for Momentum’s newsletter
• Write to the Ministry of Health for Access to Universal Trans Healthcare in BC

Learn more about the work of Momentum at momentumcanada.net.

Hermender Singh Kailley delivered the secretary-treasurer’s report, where he spoke on the major campaigns undertaken by the BCFED, the research projects, restarting in-person conferences, relaunching and re-envisioning the Organizing Institute, much more.

He outlined that while costs have gone up, revenue for the BCFED has not. He mentioned that the BCFED has not raised their per capita tax since 2014, and that the BCFED needs to have the collective resources to do the critical work they do. (See Resolution 2475 below, which was later passed by delegates to raise the per capita tax to 99 per member per month).

Grand Chief Steward Phillip, president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, took to the stage just before the lunch break, joined by his partner, Joan Phillip, MLA for Vancouver-Strathcona and Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development and Non-Profits.

After MLA Joan Phillip briefly addressed delegates to say how honoured she was to be at Convention, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip spoke about the concerns around the climate crisis and mentioned how the recent volatile BC provincial election offered up a reflection of where we all stand in BC.

He said that we are in a tight spot because the election was fought over a strong voice calling for greater economic activity in natural resource development, oil and gas pipelines, clear-cut logging, and mining, and there’s a strong interest group that seeks to exploit our wealth and natural resources for profit.

He said the challenge in front of all of us is that we need to understand that we’re in this together and, in spite of the enormity of the issues, we need to stand together for the sake of our families and future generations and the planet itself.

He says he believes the next four years will be very challenging, with a federal government waiting in the wings that is even more pronounced on these issues.

He says that labour has always been a strong voice on social justice issues and he hopes that, together, we can change the narrative.

He also addressed the issue of automation as well and the dangers that it poses to workers. He says automation is too common of a story in our world, as employers try to cut costs.

He concluded by saying we can see what is possible when we come together, and looks forward to any opportunity for further engagement.

The BC Health Coalition delivered a short presentation on their work to begin the afternoon. They talked about our fractured health care system because of creeping privatization and gaps in our services but says that the BC Health Coalition has a history of winning and that with the leadership we have in this province we can expand and improve public health services.

A tribute to former BC Labour of Minister Harry Bains was the highlight of the afternoon. Bains did not run for re-election in the BC provincial election that was held in October. Bains took to the stage to give thanks to the labour movement for all the work we have done to advance workers’ rights, and about what a pleasure it was to work with all our unions, all our health and safety committees, and all our members.

He spoke to delegates about the importance of politics, and how we cannot let anyone tell us that all politicians or all political parties are the same. Bains listed a long list of progressive changes that workers have been able to achieve since ousting the BC Liberals in 2017 and reminded delegates the workers are the backbone of our economy. He warned that a government, with the stroke of a pen, can take away all the hard-earned rights that we have bargained for.

He concluded by saying that a lot has been achieved but there is still a lot more to do.

Resolutions with the noted calls to action passed on the third day of Convention are as follows (asterisk indicates a resolution submitted by MoveUP or a composite resolution which incorporates a resolution MoveUP submitted):

• Resolution 2475: Amend the Constitution so each local union, branch, or lodge shall pay a per capita tax of 99 cents per member per month (up from 82 cents)
• Resolution 2468A: Amend the Constitution to adjust key deadlines related to the calling and delivering of convention – Convention call to be no less than 90 days for regular convention and 75 days for special convention, and credentials accepted no later than 45 days before a regulation convention and 30 days before a special convention, and any organization that has not applied for and obtained a Certificate of Affiliation at least 3 months prior to Convention shall not be allowed representation, and in the event a majority requests a special convention the executive council shall give all organizations at least 75 calendar days’ notice of time and place.
• *Resolution 2481: Amend the Constitution to say in non-convention years, the BCFED shall convene a regional conference out of the Lower Mainland Region (rather than “at least two”).
• Resolution 2478: Amend the Constitution to state that alternates for equity caucus representatives (except for the Indigenous Workers Caucus) will serve on the Executive Council if the elected representatives are not able to attend a meeting.
• Resolution 2483: Amend the Constitution to state the Young Workers’ committee shall elect one member from the committee to act as a co-chair. In the event the chair is unavailable to attend Executive Council meetings, the co-chair shall sit as an alternate on the Executive Council with voice and vote.
• Resolution 2466: Amendments to the Constitution related to the equity caucus election process.
• Resolution 2465: Replace all references of “Racialized” in the constitution to “Racial Equity and Justice Workers.”
• Resolution 2484: Change the Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation Working Group into a permanent standing committee of the BCFED.
• Resolution 2472: Amend the Constitution to change the fiscal year from April 1 to March 31 each year.
• Resolution 2463: Amend the Constitution to say it will be the duty of Trustees to examine all financial records annually to coincide with the third-party audit process (instead of semi-annually).
• Resolution 2479: Amend the Constitution to say officers of the Canadian Labour Congress and invited Honoured Delegates attending Conventions of the Federation shall be entitled to all the rights of delegates other than submitting resolutions, voting or standing for office (the change is the addition of submitting resolutions).
• Resolution 2464A: Amend the Constitution in various articles to ensure consistency of language, style and clarity.
• Resolution 2471: Amend the Constitution to update and correct housekeeping errors in various sections.
• Resolution 24-110: Lobby the provincial government to amend the Workers Compensation Act to replace “mental disorders with “psychological injury,” expand presumptive coverage to all workers, eliminate the higher standard of “predominantly caused by work,” ensure employer exemption only applies to good faith efforts to lawfully manage the workplace, and expand options for a diagnosis to include a general practitioner.
• Resolution 24-106: Continue to lobby the provincial government to amend section 135(2) of the BC Workers Compensation Act to include all workers of all occupations in presumptive coverage of psychological injury.
• Resolution 24-112: Actively oppose the rise of conservativism and encourage affiliates to educate members on the threats it poses to wages, working conditions, and public services in a “race to the bottom,” assist affiliates in their fights for fairness for their members, and call on the CLC to take similar actions across Canada.
• Resolution 24-113: Work actively with the CLC to promote progressive social policies as vote-determining issues in the lead-up to the 2025 federal election.
• Resolution 2403: Lobby the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) to adopt broad, non-restrictive bargaining mandates that respect union autonomy, and advocate for the protection of free collective bargaining in the public sector.
• Resolution 2413A; Lobby the BC provincial government and Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to undertake and complete a public post-secondary funding review, and call on the federal government, BC provincial government, and Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills to increase funding to adequately fund public post-secondary education.
• Resolution 2441: Encourage affiliate unions to negotiate the provision of non-traditional methods of providing emotional and/or psychological support, particularly for neurodiverse and Indigenous, Black and People of Colour members who may or may not have intersecting identities.
• Resolution 2409: Lobby the provincial government to make changes to the collective bargaining provisions of the Labour Relations Code, sections 11 and 47, to require an employer to produce full and accurate financial records for each work site as well as the entire company and any related company for the last three years.

Tuesday, November 26

The second day of Convention kicked off with an address by BC Premier David Eby. Fresh off the BC NDP being re-elected to government for a third straight term, the Premier started off by saying there was no better place than the BCFED Convention to kick off a historic third consecutive term for the BC NDP in government and thanked union members for being the ones who worked together to re-elect a progressive, BC NDP government in British Columbia.

The Premier said the purpose wasn’t about winning elections, but to make life better for people. He spoke of some of the accomplishments that BC NDP have been able to achieve since being in government such as raising minimum wage from the lowest in Canada to the highest, delivering five paid sick days, single-step union certification, as well as their work on health care and building schools among list of other items.

He gave a shout out to the postal workers who are currently on strike, saying they are after the same things all workers in BC deserve – a decent wage, a dignified retirement, a safe workplace – and said they had his government’s support.

The Premier talked about all the incredible work done by late Premier John Horgan, which resulted in a standing ovation. He talked about how, for the first time ever, BC has elected a majority-female legislature, and talked about how all MLAs are ready to start delivering for people in BC.

He talked about how US President-Elect Trump has announced 25 percent tariffs on products from Canada and how that will negatively impact workers on both sides of the north of the border, but that he believes we are negotiating from a position of strength and that any decisions that are made are in the best interest of British Columbians and Canadians.

He closed out his speech invoking the late John Horgan once again who said, “the strength of this province is its people” and reaffirmed how important it is to make sure we continue to invest in people.

The report of the Executive Council was delivered next, which included a thank you to Janet Patterson for her work on the WCB review and how it has led to the reform of the workers’ compensation system.

The Executive Council report also talked about work the BCFED has done on supporting organizing, including delivering more training for organizers, and shared some of the organizing successes that have occurred within BC’s labour movement since the introduction of single-step certification.

Before delegates broke for lunch, Donna Sacuta, executive director of the BC Labour Heritage Centre, took to the stage to speak on the work they are doing to share the stories of labour history in BC, specifically their oral history project. More about their work can be found at labourheritagecentre.ca.

To welcome delegates back from lunch, Len Pierre, an award-winning entrepreneur and social activist who has roots in both Katzie First Nation and Musqueam First Nation, delivered a stirring keynote speech. Len, who holds a Masters degree in Education from Simon Fraser University focusing on Indigenous curriculum and instructional design, talked about the importance and incredible value of embedding Indigenous culture safety into our shared journey of reconciliation in Canada.

He spoke about how genocide, colonialism and systemic oppression against Indigenous people was strategic, intentional, and occurred over a long period of time and, therefore, reconciliation is not going to be expedient and will not occur overnight, because colonialism did not occur overnight. “This is about change and transformation over a long period of time, but that should not come at the cost of sense of urgency of today,” he said, while further noting that, “perfectionism is a sign and value of colonialism.”

Len spoke about when he first started his work, the first question he asked was, ‘why is there such anti-Indigenous sentiment in Canada? He quickly came to recognize that the sentiment is shared with other members of marginalized groups, including women, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, persons of colour, and others.

But the reason why anti-Indigenous sentiment is especially strong is due to colonial socialization. He quoted the words of Justice Murray Sinclair: “While Indigenous children were being mistreated in residential schools by being told they were heathen, savages and pagans and inferior people – that same message was being delivered in the public schools of this country.”

Len says that reconciliation and embedding cultural safety into teams and organizations is about addressing the harms of colonial socialization.

Len also noted that reconciliation isn’t just about being more respectful or kind to Indigenous people but is about systemic change and transformation as we all live and work in those systems. If we are not in the business of change and transformation, then we may be perpetuating the problem.

To learn more about Len’s work, visit lenpierreconsulting.com.

The BCFED also handed out its Joy Langan Social Justice Award, which is presented every convention to a person who is a union activist and leader in their union and community. This year’s award winner is Janet Andrews, the secretary-treasurer of the New Westminster & District Labour Council.

Resolutions with the noted calls to action passed on the second day of Convention are as follows (asterisk indicates a resolution submitted by MoveUP or a composite resolution which incorporates a resolution MoveUP submitted):

• Resolution 2408: Adopt an expanded understanding of contracting out and assist with co-ordination at bargaining tables.
• Resolution 2438: Lobby provincial government to increase number of seats in post-secondary health care programs, advocate to increase recruitment of health care professionals in rural communities and among professions facing acute shortages in urban centres, retain staff currently working within public health care system, and provide service to areas with shortage of human care staff without using for-profit staffing agencies.
• Emergency Resolution 2024-01: Call on the Government of Canada to immediately cease the use of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to abrogate the rights of Canadian workers, and call upon every provincial federation of labour and the CLC to join in a national call to action to remove Section 107 from the Canada Labour Code.
• Resolution 2410: Push the provincial government to immediately enact sectoral bargaining in BC, and encourage Ministry of Labour to aggressively engage in a public education campaign to inform BC workers about workers’ rights and their right to organize.
• Resolutions 2423A Composite: Work with the CLC and community groups to lobby all levels of government to adequately fund seven days a week, six times per day, reliable public transportation, lobby all levels of government to increase and continue funding for improving access to digital services, and create a “Red Dress Alert.”
• Resolution 2424: Examine provincial government reports on Indigenous health and First Nations Health Authority reports and incorporate recommendations for improved policies and practices for Indigenous peoples into its own practices, and support and donate to Indigenous initiatives and organizations that are aiming to reduce suicide and addiction amongst Indigenous peoples in BC.
• *Resolution 2425A: Call on the federal government to commit to completing the remaining Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and call on the BC provincial government to commit to either completing or having concrete, fully-funded plans of action on the remaining 81 Calls to Action prior to the 10-year anniversary of their release.
• Resolution 2428: Acknowledge and support the Union of BC Indian Chiefs Council Resolution 2024-33 and stand with survivors of residential schools and their families, and use the political power of all workers to call for all levels of government to uphold the testimony of those who lived through the experience, and the documentation captured by both the TRC and First Nations at former residential school sites.
• Resolution 24-119: Lobby the provincial government to provide survivors of gender-based violence with access to 10 days of paid leave.
• Resolution 24-121: Lobby the provincial government and work with the CLC to lobby the federal government to remedy the lack of availability of abortion services and address the lack of funding for administration of abortion services, and lobby the federal government to follow through the Liberal Party of Canada 2021 platform commitment to provide up to $10 million to Health Canada to develop and easily accessible portal that provides accurate, judgement-free, and evidence-based information on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Monday, November 25

After a heartwarming address from Alec Dan from the Musqueam Nation as part of the opening ceremony of the 2024 BCFED Convention, Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley took to the stage to welcome delegate on behalf of Metro Vancouver.

Mayor Hurley stressed the importance of unions getting involved in political matters, giving examples of how the City of Burnaby has managed to end contracting out of certain jobs and bring those back in-house as union jobs.

He also talked about his concern of seeing union members starting to swing right on the political spectrum, and talked about the importance of getting our messaging correct to make sure workers don’t vote against their interest, having seen how union members in the United States gravitated towards the far-right Republicans and the rise of Pierre Poilievre in Canada.

President Sussanne Skidmore delivered her president’s address to the assembled delegates, beginning first with a video of union members who talked about why unions are so vital for working people.

She talked about how unions make a difference for people everywhere, and how we need to share more of our stories of how we are helping workers. She mentioned how bosses want a workforce that’s divided, but that nothing works without workers. She called out the fact that workers are being legislated back to work but suggested that if what we do is so important, then employers need to demonstrate that at the bargaining table.

Sussanne also spoke about the importance of working together to elect NDP government and the achievements the labour movement has been able to achieve as a result of our ability to elect, and re-elect, the BC NDP including: legislated paid sick leave, single-step union certification, historic investments in expanding child care, the return of trade certification, the highest provincial minimum wage in Canada that’s now indexed to inflation, investments in workers’ compensation, bringing hospital workers back into he public sector, a historic action plan on reconciliation, anti-racism legislation, a gender-based violence action plan, the return of the BC Human Rights Commission, and real action to tackle and combat hate.

She mentioned how had just a few votes swung the other way in the BC provincial election, we could have had a Conservative premier in John Rustad and we would have lost everything working people fought so hard for. But the biggest takeaway from that close call was that we need to be bolder and act with greater urgency, and we need to win more victories of working people – ones that people can see in their everyday lives and see it reflected in their communities, from workplaces to schools to hospitals.

Coming out of the lunch break, Kevin Millsip, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC Chapter, spoke briefly to talk about the work of the CCPA-BC, focusing particularly their work on the living wage campaign highlighting that currently, there’s nearly a $10 gap between minimum wage in BC to the living wage in Metro Vancouver.

He also talked about the CCPA-BC’s “Connecting BC” report which is a 10-year vision for public transit in BC. The report calls for building out a province-wide express bus service, tripling the number of buses in BC within 10 years, developing and restore rail connections, expand free transit for youths aged 13-18 and for people on social assistance, and to integrate all pieces to be operated on one ticket for all services, among others.

Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, delivered a video message to delegates at the BCFED Convention. The address was filmed several days after the US election, and several weeks after the BC provincial election. From those events, she noted that it is clear “we are in a fight for the future of our labour movement and the future of our democracy.”

She warned that democracy is disappearing not because people are tired of democracy, but because they are struggling with the cost of living. She says that unions are where people can still find hope, and that even people with different political beliefs are finding hope in unions.

Following that, the newly appointed BC Minister of Labour, Jennifer Whiteside, spoke to delegates at the Convention as her first official engagement in her new role.

She talked about how she was thrilled to take on the portfolio when asked by Premier David Eby because she had spent most of her adult life fighting for workers. She says she intends to build on the progress the BC NDP have made over the past two mandates and acknowledged the strong relationship between the BC government and the labour movement in BC.

Minister Whiteside also talked about the progressive labour improvements that the government had been successful to achieve under Harry Bains, the previous Minister of Labour, pointing to issues such as ending contract flipping, single-step union certification, raising minimum wage, increasing safety, repatriating healthcare workers back into the public system, and making it easier for workers to access healthcare including improving access to mental health care.

She said that the labour movement should be very proud of the work we have accomplished to have made all this progress happen, but said this is not a victory lap and that there is a lot more to be accomplished.

She concluded her address with the words of JS Woodworth, founder of the CCF, the predecessor to the NDP – “What we desire for ourselves, we wish for all.”

Resolutions with the noted calls to action passed on the opening day of Convention are as follows (asterisk indicates a resolution submitted by MoveUP or a composite resolution which incorporates a resolution MoveUP submitted):

• *Resolution 2459: Increase outreach of Connecting BC Public Transit campaign, lobby government to deliver sustainable public transit funding, push provincial government to repatriate all outsourced public transit services providers, and encourage affiliates to have subsidized and/or public transit passes included in collective agreements.
• Resolution 2455: Advocate for five paid days of leave for workers unable to safely travel between work and home during natural and environmental disasters.
• Resolution 2457: Work with affiliates to promote BC as a global leader in responsible development of minerals/resources that a low-carbon requires, press government to train workers and kickstart BC’s critical mineral and recycling industry, lobby to protect Canada from dumping of minerals and goods, and encourage governments to collaborate on a comprehensive supply chain strategy that creates union jobs.
• Resolution 2454: Lobby the provincial government and work with the CLC to lobby the federal government to invest in an expanded Youth Climate Corps providing unionized jobs and training young adults to support work on climate adaption and mitigation projects in their own communities.
• Resolution 2461: Develop and implement a campaign and government relations strategy to advocate for the elimination of private contracts between BC Transit and private, for-profit companies, and for those services to be operated by BC Transit or by the provincial government itself.
• Resolution 2458: Endorse the Centre for Family Equity’s Transit for Teens campaign, and support its efforts to bring free public transportation to all children and youth in BC.
• *Resolution 2431: Form an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Standing Committee to develop a holistic human-centric approach to AI in BC.
• Resolution 2417A: Lobby the provincial government to implement a provincial housing strategy, work with allied organization to lobby the provincial government to enact real rent control and tying rent increases to the rental unit, and encourage labour councils to lobby municipalities who do not have supportive housing plans to work with the provincial governments to create supportive housing.
• Resolution 2491A: Lobby the Canadian government to immediately suspend all trade in arms and military technology with Israel, work with trade unions representing workers in affected industries to develop plans for a just transition that secures their livelihoods and enables them to work without fear of being complicit in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians, take action in solidarity with unions and other organizations seeking a just and bipartite resolution to the longstanding conflict in Israel and Palestine, call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, and call for a release of Israeli and Palestinian hostages, and protection for all civilian lives in Israel and Palestine.
• Resolution 2493: Lobby the provincial government to expand the definition of “Immediate Family Member” in the Employment Standards Act to add the Family Member Regulation additional definition clause of “whether or not related to an employee by blood, marriage or common law partnership, an individual with a serious medical condition who considers the employe to be, or whom the employee considers to be, like a close relative,” and encourage affiliates bargaining initiatives to include “chosen family” as part of the “immediate family definition” in their collective agreements.
• Resolution 2435: Advocate for the inclusion of treatment services as part of Universal Health Care.

Sunday, November 24

MoveUP delegates gathered today to caucus ahead of the formal start of Convention on Monday. Click here to see some photos from our meeting.