The New Westminster and District Labour Council has been following the advice that Tommy Douglas offered the organization five decades ago.
One of more than 130 labour councils charted by the Canadian Labour Congress across the country, the New Westminster and District Labour Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Douglas was the guest speaker at the organization’s inaugural meeting in 1966.
“He was urging members to be engaged in the political life of their community, which I think really sums up our history,” said Carolyn Rice, secretary-treasurer. “Our council, of any labour council in the country, not just the province, has a long history, and one of the most developed municipal programs. Other labour councils in recent years have adopted some of our program. There’s none that are on the scale that we are.”
Chartered in 1966, the New Westminster and District Labour Council has been interviewing and endorsing candidates in civic elections since the late 1960s. While the Canadian Labour Congress tackles federal issues and the Federation of Labour takes care of provincial issues, the labour council’s responsibility is to work with local governments and the communities in which they’re located.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t get involved in provincial or federal politics, in fact quite the contrary. However, if a matter comes up that is related to those two levels of government, a program or action is initiated by the two other centrals,” Rice said. “Our work is largely to make sure that our local governments and our school boards are representing the needs people and families, not just unions, but people and families.”
While the civic endorsements have drawn the ire of critics in some communities, it’s been something the New Westminster and District Labour Council has been doing for decades.
“It was the first full year of our council – ’67 or ’68, I think we endorsed one or two candidates in New Westminster,” Rice said. “It just grew from there.”
Currently, about 100 local unions – and more than 56,000 workers – are members of the New Westminster and District Labour Council. The labour council recently surveyed its membership about a number of issues, including the endorsements, to find out whether they support the program, know about the program and participate in local elections.
“We found out that a very high percentage of our members are voting,” Rice said. “People understand why they should vote and why electing good local governments is important.”
The New Westminster and District Labour Council covers a region that includes New Westminster, Burnaby, Port Moody, Belcarra, Anmore, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley City and Langley Township. It addresses issues affecting workers across Canada and tackles a variety of programs including opposing the privatization of health care, supporting a $10-a-day child care program, advocating for an increase to B.C.’s minimum wage, a living wage and changes to the regulations to protect workers.
The labour council also offers educational courses for its members and hosts community events such as the annual Day of Mourning, which commemorates the lives of workers who have been killed or injured on the job and encourages action that prevents workplace deaths, injuries and accidents. This year’s event was held at Westminster Pier Park.
The New Westminster and District Labour Council will be returning to its roots this fall to celebrate its golden anniversary.
“We have an event planned at the Anvil Centre in New Westminster. We are going back to where we were born, if you like,” Rice said. “On that day in 1966, the Port Mann Bridge had only been opened one year and the density of the membership that belonged to the labour council was right in and around that New Westminster area.”
