Labour Council seeks to inform union members ahead of municipal election

“CUPE, BCGEU, the Prince George Teachers Association, the firefighters, they are all making big decisions on who’s going to be their next employer for the next four years,” Baker said. “So it’s important to us to make sure that there’s a progressive council and school trustees and a mayor in place so we can make good progressive decisions.”

Baker noted the importance of municipal governments in shaping workplace conditions and labour relations through decisions on budgets, services and staffing.

“As you know, collective bargaining has been tough really lately,” he said.

The endorsement process begins well before election day and involves significant scrutiny of those hoping to earn labour’s support.

Within the organization, a committee known as the Civic Caucus oversees the process. Made up of representatives from participating unions, the caucus reviews endorsement packages submitted by candidates and determines who will advance to the interview stage.

“So within the North Central Labour Council, we have a committee, the Civic Caucus, and that is a group of unions that sit together and discuss these endorsement packages that we send out to either incumbents or new candidates that have put their names forward,” Baker explained.

The review is not limited to municipal council candidates. School board trustee candidates are also assessed through the same process, allowing the labour movement to evaluate those seeking elected positions that impact workers and public services throughout the region.

The labour council makes no attempt to downplay the intensity of its vetting procedures.

Candidates are required to answer detailed questionnaires covering labour relations, workers’ rights and policy issues before participating in face-to-face interviews.

“The questions can be anything from ‘Have you crossed a picket line?’ to ‘What are your thoughts on public-private partnerships?'” Baker said. “Depending on their answers, we would also have in-person interviews with them.”

The extensive process is familiar to incumbent city councillor and council candidate Cori Ramsay, who says she has participated in the labour council’s evaluation process during each of her previous election campaigns.

“They have quite an intensive vetting process, asking a lot of questions about how you support labour interests and if you’re labour-friendly,” Ramsay said.

She described the experience as rigorous and comprehensive.

“For the last three elections, I’ve gone through that really intensive vetting process that includes an interview as well. And I’ve been endorsed in the last three elections. I’ll be endorsed in this election.”

For Ramsay, the endorsement represents recognition from local labour organizations that share common priorities related to workers’ rights, public services and municipal governance.

However, she emphasizes that the endorsement process is not about building a formal political slate.

“It’s not a slate,” Ramsay said. “It is really ensuring that those who want the information about labour-friendly candidates have access to it.”

Instead, she says the labour council serves as a resource for unionized workers and others interested in understanding where candidates stand on issues important to organized labour.

While labour endorsements are often viewed as influential in local elections, the North Central Labour Council keeps much of its deliberation process behind closed doors.

One aspect that remains confidential is the specific scoring and evaluation results assigned to candidates during the endorsement process.

The labour council does not publicly release those details, a decision Baker says is intentional.

“The reason we don’t do it is we don’t have third-party advertising,” he said. “We’re not a foundation, we’re not a public group.”

Rather than publicly ranking candidates or publishing detailed report cards, the organization communicates endorsement decisions directly to its affiliated members and unions.

The approach reflects the labour council’s role as an advocacy organization rather than an election campaign group.

Endorsements from organized labour can carry weight in municipal elections, particularly in communities such as Prince George where unionized workers make up a significant portion of the workforce. Workers employed in forestry, health care, education, municipal services, emergency services and provincial government positions all contribute to the region’s labour movement.

By conducting a structured endorsement process, the council hopes to provide those workers with information about candidates’ positions on issues that may affect collective bargaining, public services, employment standards and municipal decision-making.

Still, labour leaders stress that endorsements are intended to inform voters rather than dictate their choices.

Baker says every eligible voter should take the time to review candidate platforms, ask questions and make independent decisions at the ballot box.

Regardless of which candidates ultimately receive labour’s backing, he says voter participation remains the most important factor.

As municipal candidates continue campaigning across Prince George and the surrounding region, the labour council plans to complete its endorsement process ahead of election day and share its recommendations with union members.

In the end, Baker says the objective is ensuring workers have access to information that helps them make informed choices for city council, school board and regional district positions.

And when residents head to the polls on Oct. 17, the labour council hopes those choices will reflect both the interests of workers and the future direction of the community.

Labour Council says its endorsements are intended to inform voters, not create a political slate.

by Cheryl Jahn

Labour Council seeks to inform union members ahead of municipal election

What's Trending