NDP and Big Labour already trying to unionize more workers

[Rwede]

NDP Needs to Come Clean on Union Certification Plans

Card signings at BCIT hint that unions already know NDP will scrap democratic votes


(May 7, 2013 - Vancouver) The NDP may have promised to consult on getting rid of a worker’s democratic vote on whether or not to join a union – but at least one union seems to have inside knowledge that it’s already a done deal.

The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C. has learned that at least one building trade union has been heading into college classrooms to have students sign union cards – something that’s a precursor to the card-based unionization the NDP only says it wants to talk about.

“It looks like the NDP have two different messages on certification – one to their friends and donors in the building unions, and another for the general public,” said ICBA President Philip Hochstein. “That’s deeply troubling because the public deserves to know if the NDP has made secret promises to throw out workers’ right to a democratic vote on unionization.”

The issue came to light when one electrical company contacted ICBA to tell them the story of young workers he’d hired who told him that they’d signed union cards in classrooms at the B.C. Institute of Technology. The students were approached by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers while they were in taxpayer-funded courses that are a first step to a career in the trades.

“It’s simply wrong for the unions to go in and sign up students in a publicly funded classroom. It’s supposed to be a neutral space,” Hochstein said. “It’s doubly wrong because they seem to know something that the NDP won’t reveal to the rest of the province – that secret ballot votes are being scrapped.”

Hochstein said it’s troubling that students are being given false information – that they won’t be able to sign cards in the future, or that it’s their only chance at finding work.

"This really goes against the spirit of labour relations because the signing of the card has nothing to do with workplace conditions or pay at any company. It’s simply a matter of gaming the system so companies are subject to unionization as soon as the NDP changes the rules,” Hochstein said. “It’s clear the NDP has told the building trades that workers are losing their democratic votes. It’s time for them to come clean with voters about these commitments.”

To read the letter from the electrical company, click here: http://www.icba.bc.ca/news_media/news_r ... Letter.pdf

[hobbyguy]

Oddly we're partly on the same side on this one, because of IBEW practices.

"Closed shop" practices, such as union hiring halls, are an abuse and turn the union away from being a workers organization and into a labour contractor skimming off the top. A differentiation that I have always felt is an exclusionary and corrupt practice.

Conning students into signing cards is definitely not an acceptable practice, and the IBEW should be condemmed for doing so.

I spoke to Mike Nuyens last night (the only candidate that has shown up at my door) and didn't get get any clarification on the key issues for me. One of those is a balanced labour policy (I don't want to see American style "right to work" nonsense) but I also don't want to see practices like union hall hiring. That and pipeline issues got little clarification. Nor did I get any sense (and I asked the question) about how nuch influence Moe Sihota will have.

So I'm still stuck. The 801 thing makes me think the Liberals will tack hard right after the election, and Rich Coleman will have even more influence. And I can't stomach the thought of Moe Sihota pulling strings in the background, because that would signal a hard left turn after the election - and if Dix refused they will do to him what they did to Mike Harcourt (whom I think would have been a pretty decent premier if they had left him alone).

There's so much corruption at the root of the two main parties, I may have to vote for the Greens because at least on two issues, the pipelines and geo-thermal energy I can agree with them - if only they didn't like those giant bird eating dandelions (wind turbines)...

[Rwede]

I'd vote Green long before I ever voted NDP, on the strength and integrity of their leader alone compared to the lying forger of the NDP. I disagree with 90% of their ideology, but I disagree with 100% of NDP ideology.

[Gone_Fishin]

More union thuggery. Gawd it just never ends with these guys!

[Its_Like_That]

More union thuggery. Gawd it just never ends with these guys!

Having a job as a career janitor suits Dix's perfect union contributor.

Preying on their hope while washing a bowl, then having to anti-up some of their wages to justify it.

[Looney]

Well at least they would have a job and not have to run off to Alberta.

[Rwede]

Oh, they'll HAVE to run off to Alberta, because BC's economy will go straight down the crapper should the NDP get in.

BC spent billions training workers for Alberta in the 1990s, and Dix is determined to go back to having union control of apprenticeships again, so that we can feed Alberta our best-trained workers once again.

Saddling apprentices with union cards in BC just means that they have less chance of finding a job in BC with union positions declining 30% in the past 20 years. So, hi ho, it's off to Alberta they go, at BC's expense.

[Gone_Fishin]

The cat is already out of the bag. Sinclair has already re-written the labour code for the NDP, favouring unions and leaving business and the non-union sector right out of the picture.




Unions across B.C. are in “extensive” pre-election talks with the NDP, and the party’s labour platform is being developed with the B.C. Federation of Labour, according to a document obtained Thursday by The Province.

The labour organization also poured money and staff time into two recent by-elections, the document says, though the NDP candidates in both by-elections did not list the B.C. Federation of Labour as a donor in campaign-finance reports.

It all has the rival Liberals slamming “heavy handed” union influence in the NDP backrooms, and questioning whether the New Democrats properly disclosed campaign donations from the province’s largest labour organization.

“Adrian Dix tried to fool people that he was a moderate with a modest agenda,” Liberal campaign director Mike McDonald said of the NDP leader.

“He just got busted.”

The 11-page document was prepared for the executive of the B.C. Federation of Labour and distributed at its recent convention. It details the organization’s top priorities and its work with the NDP to achieve them.

“Labour platform is being developed with the B.C. NDP,” the document says.

“This includes extensive affiliate discussions on key issues including the B.C. Labour Code, Workers Compensation Board, trades training and employment standards.”

The document had the Liberals seeing red and on the attack.

“It spells out how big labour is working hand-in-hand with the NDP to develop their policies for them,” said Liberal cabinet minister Mary Polak.

She said business should worry about an NDP government bringing in pro-union labour laws and workplace regulations that will raise their costs and deflate investor confidence.

“It’s clear from the document that this is the same old NDP of the 1970s and 1990s and it could hurt our economy,” she said.

But NDP MLA Carole James said the party is simply listening to labour’s concerns, and the NDP will write its own policy platform, not the labour movement.

“They’re presenting their ideas to us and we’re listening,” she said, adding none of the labour movement’s “suggestions” have been officially adopted by the party yet.

“Only the Liberals would attack us for consulting with people. They’re fearmongering.”

B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said copies of the document were widely circulated at the organization’s recent convention.

“It’s hardly a secret agenda,” he said. “We’ve been very open about the fact that we’re lobbying the party.”

But Polak disagreed.

“Adrian Dix has been saying he’s friendly to business, but business is not writing the NDP election platform — big labour is,” she said.

The document says the B.C. Federation of Labour wants an overhaul of the Labour Code. The organization has already said it wants an NDP government to scrap the secret-ballot rule for certifying a union, requiring a majority of workers to simply sign a union card instead.

The group also wants a “total review” of the Workers Compensation Board, and “fair” apprenticeship rules and employment standards affecting union and non-union workers alike.

Under the heading “Ensuring the NDP Wins in 2013”, the document calls for “creating opportunities for Adrian/NDP to directly engage members. We have to publicly support Adrian/NDP with our members, instil confidence in his leadership.”

On the two recent by-elections — both won by the NDP — the document details work and donations: “The Federation co-ordinated a fundraising drive that raised $120,000 for the by-elections. In addition, staff worked full-time organizing volunteers.”

Yet the campaign-finance reports disclosed by winning NDP candidate Joe Trasolini and Gwen O’Mahony did not list the B.C. Federation of Labour as donors of money or staff.

“It doesn’t seem right,” said Polak, adding the donations should be reviewed.

But NDP provincial secretary Jan O’Brien said the money raised by the Federation was donated to the NDP head office, properly disclosed, and then transferred to the byelection campaigns.

And she said Federation staff did not work on the byelection campaigns directly, so no public disclosure was required — an explanation Polak found “disingenuous.”

The NDP, meanwhile, pointed out that McDonald (the Liberal campaign director) has scheduled a “stakeholder meeting” in the boardroom of the B.C. Business Council next week.

“That shouldn’t surprise anyone,” said Sinclair. “At least we’re being open about our work with the NDP.”

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