What’s at stake for Steelworkers in the B.C. election

Statement from Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director:

This sudden election wasn’t on anyone’s radar. At dinner tables across the province, families are asking themselves why we’re voting again. It’s a fair question.

But the question at the ballot box won’t be about David Eby’s approval ratings or whether the Conservatives are too chaotic. It also won’t be about whether Emily Lowan has a bright future. And it may not even be about Donald Trump (don’t tell him!).

For Steelworkers, the question is much simpler: how do we protect what we’ve won while marching forward to achieve vital gains such as:

• Expanding and diversifying our economy
• Protecting and advancing our public services
• Making life more affordable through stable, family supporting jobs and increased opportunity

We know what we’ve been fighting for. We know where we’ve made progress, and we know what still needs to be done to make things better for USW members across B.C.

In mining, the current BC NDP government has advanced a vital critical minerals strategy, improved permitting and moved new mines and expansions forward. This will deliver job security for our members at Red Chris, Highland Valley Copper and Mount Milligan.

As the sector grows, however, B.C. needs a workforce plan that sets out how many workers the sector will need, what skills they’ll require and how they will be trained. Mining workers must be at the table shaping that plan, with union-led training that prepares workers for the opportunities ahead.

While the Ministry of Mining has added health and safety staff and launched a prevention department, candidates must commit to building on those steps. They must advocate alongside the USW for full-time worker co-chairs on health and safety committees at major mines. Union-led training and health and safety advancements are essential to retaining skilled workers and preparing the next generation.

In the forest sector, the situation has been tough. Closures, curtailments, U.S. duties and tariffs, and real barriers to getting fibre to our mills have cost Steelworker jobs. The BC NDP government has put adjustment supports in place, including pension bridging. But adjustment programs aren’t enough. We have been pushing for action to stabilize and increase fibre supply, keep mills operating and protect good union jobs in logging and manufacturing.

We demand all candidates in this election commit to:

• a legislated Jobs Protection Commissioner to prevent further closures
• a real Working Forest that lives up to its name, protects the industrial land base and ensures communities benefit from the granting of logging rights
• a fulsome forest industrial strategy that gets the maximum jobs – good, union jobs – from every tree harvested

Steelworkers vote, and we must back those who will protect the Labour Code advancements established by the BC NDP: single-step certification, paid sick days and expanded successorship rights. But the next government must go further and modernize our Labour Code by protecting collective agreements from contract flipping, securing good first contracts within weeks and taking steps toward sectoral bargaining so workers have real power when dealing with multinational corporations and in hard-to-organize sectors.

If we’re serious about economic sovereignty, we need to build B.C. with the workers and materials that come from here. Hire union. Buy Canadian steel. Use B.C. wood. And make that the expectation wherever major projects are being built – not only on government projects.

That’s how we tackle affordability. That’s how we help regular, working families. And that’s how we build a strong, sovereign B.C. and Canada.

We can be frustrated about having another election. We can shake our heads at the chaos of B.C. politics and take our shots at politicians of every stripe. But when the noise dies down, there are real things at stake for Steelworkers.

Our jobs. Our rights at work. Our safety. Our public services. And whether we build things here, buy Canadian and create good union jobs doing it.

So, get involved. Volunteer. And most importantly, vote.

Learn more about our Steelworkers Vote program and sign up to join us at usw.ca/d3swv.

In solidarity,

Scott Lunny
USW District 3 Director

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