CANDIDATE FOR VICE PRESIDENT

I became a member of the BCGEU in 1982 when I was hired by the government as an auxiliary in the Liquor Distribution Branch. During the last 28 years, I have held many elected positions on the local executive, the component executive and for the past 6 years as one of your four provincial vice-presidents.

As I prepare this article for the Provincial our Union the BCGEU will be joining with unions across British Columbia, Oregon and Washington at a rally to stand in solidarity with workers who are struggling to keep their right to collective bargaining.  As we have seen and heard in the media Wisconsin  Governor Scott Walker has approved a law, stripping the state’s 175,000 public sector workers of their bargaining rights. I will be at this rally marching with and beside my brothers and sisters!

This reminds me of one of my first very memorable experiences with our Union and that was almost 25 years ago when the Social Credit government introduced a major restraint program.  Making cuts to social programs, wages, educational programs and stripping job security.  The response of the labour movement,  and our members was so overwhelming, so powerful it changed my commitment to the movement forever.

That experience became known as Operation Solidarity and has never been seen again in this province. Community groups including human rights, womens’ rights, anti-poverty, students, seniors, and environmentalists, joined in the rally. In the end about 80,000 people province wide where marching in the streets for social justice! I was part of this rally marching with and beside my brothers and sisters!

Growing up in Trail, I was surrounded by the labour movement where Cominco, known as Teck today, was the main employer. I witnessed the struggles that many of my family and community members have been through fighting for workers’ rights, human rights and their civic rights. I have seen how hard it is on communities and the people who lose their jobs, their dignity and their self-respect because of corporate greed and government ideology.

My involvement with the national union’s “All Together Now Campaign” that promotes public services, defends public sector jobs and demands fair taxation for all has given me and other activists a great opportunity to educate our members, to reach out and speak out to their communities on these issues.

It is vitally important to elect a government that reflects our core values and understands our issues. Once again we have provincial, federal and municipal elections coming up this spring and possibly this fall.  It is important to our members, their families and our communities that we elect a government that stands for our core values and responds to our issues.

A government that is committed to social justice, ending poverty, believes in fair and quality health care, education and a government that also understands the value of affordable childcare and early learning, I will work very hard alongside our members and community activists once again to see that that happens.

I am committed to bringing issues forward on behalf of our members.  I have worked hard to do just that. I continue to walk, work and stand with our members and activists, I have supported members at the bargaining tables and stood with members on picket lines while we have fought for our rights. I believe worksite visits continue to be one of the most important opportunities that we have to understand our members’ issues.

Worksite visits should provide the opportunity for you to speak to your elected representatives and activists visiting worksites, talking and listening to each others’ issues and taking those issues back to be acted on, making a difference for all. It is a great opportunity to see what our grassroots members are
facing at their workplaces, as well as provide an effective way to show the employer that the members have the strong support of their union.

Education has and always will be a high priority issue for me. Education is one of the most important tools we have to encourage members to become involved. Activists should have access to educational sessions in their own area, making it more convenient and practical for them to participate.

As an activist, I know the life/work balance challenges we face, making it difficult to participate in educational opportunities and union events that take us away from home. I want to work with all of you to make changes and find ways that the Union can support our members so that they can become more involved.

Your Provincial Executive has already begun to plan for the major round of bargaining coming up in 2012.  I know that once again all sectors will be well prepared, supported and resourced going into this round of bargaining. Our issues will be prioritized based on the information we receive at these bargaining conferences planned for the fall. We need to be solid and united once again at bargaining tables as we all deserve a fair deal.

My commitment to the members of the BCGEU  is to continue to connect with the members, to be a strong and effective voice for the members, develop more opportunities for our members to continue to be involved and most importantly to continue to work with you and stand beside you in Solidarity!

In Solidarity,
Colleen Jones

Back to Convention home page