Hundreds of people ate barbecue, mingled with local candidates and heard from union representatives at the annual Labour Day Picnic in Gibsons’ Dougall Park. It was a success, according to MC Alice Lutes, councillor at the District of Sechelt and Sunshine Coast Labour Council (SCLC) representative. Still, the picnic did come with its challenges this year, namely the lack of a pie-eating contest, corn shucking and Unifor.
SCLC members elect an organizing committee and delegates from unions and other organizations volunteer at the four-hour event, which includes a free barbecue for the public, live music and games for children. “With the internal changes we didn’t know if we’d have the manpower or the funds available to actually do it,” Edward Erickson, SCLC president and chairperson of the Shorncliffe local of the Hospital Employees Union, told Coast Reporter at the event.
Unifor did not participate this year because of its January split from the Canadian Labour Congress of which SCLC is a part. “For us on the Coast, Unifor has been a big part of the SCLC and they have been a big part of the community,” Erickson said. He stressed the dispute is more of an issue at the national level.
Speakers did not focus on the split and instead touched on history, bargaining and labour rights.
Keynote speaker Carlos Carvalho, regional representative from the Canadian Labour Congress, told the story of the Printers’ Strike of 1872, when protesters at a 10,000-person rally in Toronto were arrested for demanding a reduction of the work day to nine hours – the result of which was the introduction by John A. Macdonald of the Trade Union Act, which legalized unions. He also advocated for universal pharmacare, which the Labour Congress is currently championing.
Other speaks included Charlene Pender of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and Stevo Knauff from CUPE 801, representing support staff from School District 46. Knauff said the union is currently bargaining and that “for the first time in a very long time,” they are finding success. He also referenced the chapter’s 50th anniversary, which took place in June
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons appeared at the event and his brief speech emphasized labour and civil rights. “We should never take for granted the rights we have won,” he told the crowd.
The number of local politicians and candidates in attendance signalled that local government elections are approaching. Erickson said this year the SCLC had less time to prepare than when elections are held in November. “We are being forced into getting ready earlier,” he said, which has meant that fewer candidates have approached the organization with their platforms. “We are hoping that most of them will at least want to speak with us and give us their position so that we can choose whether or not we want to support them,” he said.
Unifor locals 1119 and 466 organized a children’s catch-and-release fishing derby at Friendship Park in Sechelt.
– With files from Sean Eckford
