B.C.'s labour movement is at a crossroads, according to a Simon Fraser University professor.
Mark Leier, who teaches history at the school, said for the last three decades, unions have been less interested in organizing the unorganized and have seen a dip in membership as a result.
"People are not inspired anymore. If the unions act like a body that take your dues and don't do much for you, it's hard to get excited," he said. "Back then, belonging to one was a real source of pride."
According to Statistics Canada, B.C.'s unionization rate was 36 per cent in 1997, 33 per cent in 2005 and 31 per cent in 2012. Leier said there are a few contributing factors to the decline, including globalization.
"We're in a time where we've seen manufacturing jobs go to places like China," he said. "They've been replaced by cheap service sector jobs."
The fact employers are using foreign workers' programs doesn't help either, Leier added. "It's odd because we're told if wages are low enough, they'll hire people. They're not hiring and they're looking at these programs that carry even
lower wages."
The difficulty to unionize has also risen due to a changing labour code that allows employees to face consequences should they join a union. "Lots of work places have videos that say 'If you see a union rep, run here and pull this emergency button.' Forty years ago, they couldn't have done that. The law said it was everyone's right to join," he said. "It was no more their business than it was to know what religion or political party you belonged to."
According to Leier, in order for quality of life to improve, the labour movement needs to continue to tackle issues like minimum wage.
"It needs to be close to 20 dollars an hour," he said. "When I hear people get excited about making 16 bucks an hour, that's terrible. That's not a living wage in the Lower Mainland."
Jim Sinclair, president of the B.C. Federation of Labour, said his organization is still working on getting the minimum wage pushed to $13 per hour from $10.25. As B.C.'s standard of living continues to rise, so does the amount of money
spent per household per year. In 2002, the average family spent $59,315, compared to $74,837 in 2012.
The campaign is proving difficult because the movement is challenged by "an anti-union government who doesn't look after the interests of the people, but of corporations," Sinclair added.
"The world according to the corporate sector is one that everything should be left to the market and the more rich people at the top, the better off we all are," he said. "We know that's a lie."
Sinclair said despite Leier's comments about a stagnant labour movement, things are definitely still "alive and kicking." The Federation of Labour represents over 500,000 union members, from more than 1,100 locals.
"We're still bargaining every day. We have dozens of unions that sit at the table and negotiate collective agreements that include wages and working conditions," he said.
A wake-up call of some sort is needed however, explained Sinclair.
"We need to organize more people and reach out to young people. It's easy to say, but hard to do, especially in these times."
As the long weekend comes and goes, Sinclair said it's important to remember why the holiday exists. "Unions fought and won it. Even if you're not part of a union, many of the things you have today came because of the labour movement ... the 40-hour work week, pensions and health care," he said.
"Right now, these things are at risk. We have to keep fighting."
