Labour Day Message from George Heyman

Labour Day is always an opportunity to reflect on the union movement's important accomplishments over the years and the many ways that we've won changes to make life better for working people, our families and our communities.

Employers and the media like to diminish the positive role that unions play in our society and downplay the gains we've struggled hard to win. But in reality, when you think about it, our list of achievements is long - and impressive.

Some things leap to mind quickly, like better pay and living standards, paid vacations and holidays. Other measures like pension plans and pay equity to properly value women's work have had profound, far-reaching impacts. And more recently, unions like B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union have made it a priority to fight racism and discrimination in the workplace.

This Labour Day we can also celebrate the gains made by thousands of BCGEU members at the bargaining table over the past year.

In a busy province-wide negotiating cycle, our union has reached some 70 new settlements with public and private sector employers. These range from more than 20 individual settlements at different child care facilities to master agreements in the public service, health and community social services covering close to 50,000 BCGEU members.

In communities across the province, union members stood strong to turn the tide. No more could the Campbell government create an authoritarian bargaining climate by shredding existing agreements and imposing concessions. This time, we made it a priority to restore important contract provisions, win real wage increase and make other gains for the future.

And with close to 60 more agreements still to be tied down in the coming months--including two dozen contracts covering highways maintenance workers and several more for college instructors--our union will be consolidating and broadening those gains.

While we won tangible improvements at the negotiating table, there are several areas where we'll need to remain vigilant. For example, recruitment and retention problems still loom in community social services and home support. During negotiations, BCGEU made a strong case that concrete staff shortages exist in both sectors that needed to be addressed. But Victoria chose to ignore the problem.

As evidence of staffing problems mounts, BCGEU will push for real solutions, so that the women and men who care for our most vulnerable citizens are respected and fairly paid.

Meanwhile, ongoing privatization in health care also threatens more conflict. Bill 29 and a similar piece of legislation crafted by Victoria to benefit for-profit health care interests are still being used to contract out important services and rollback wages for front-line staff.

BCGEU remains strongly opposed to this kind of legislation.
Starting this fall, we'll be campaigning with other advocates for public health care to oppose privatization and push for measures that will strengthen Medicare.

This Labour Day, one thing is for sure. BCGEU is now a stronger organization, even better equipped to improve the lives of working people.