About District 250

Officers and Reps

District News

Info for Stewards

Organizing

Legislative Page

Workplace Humour

Labour Links
 

Why is the Union Involved in Politics?

We often hear this question: "Why is the Union involved in Politics?" The answer is quite simple: Governments make laws, and laws govern our lives, both in and out of the workplace.

The Union movement has long been involved in Politics at all levels of Government - indeed we were responsible for the formation of the NDP party (then called the CCF) in the last century. Most Unions continue to support the NDP as the party that best represents the interests of working families.

The reason for this is simple: what we can negotiate at the bargaining table, Governments can remove with a stroke of the pen through legislation. Those of us who were activists during the Vander Zalm days of Bill 19 can well recall the damage that was done to the B.C. Labour movement with this particularly offensive piece of right wing legislation.

And our sisters and brothers in Ontario can attest to the setbacks they have seen as a direct consequence of having Mike Harris as the Premier of Ontario. They have witnessed the dismantling of their Provincial Labour Code and of their Workers Compensation system, among dozens of other setbacks.

So when you next hear someone ask: "Why are the Unions always involved in Politics?", you can answer them. We want to keep the basic rights and working conditions we have won over long years of struggle.

And we want the freedom to negotiate better conditions.