Common sense Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 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.” http://www.theprovince.com/news/story.html?id=7663454#axzz2EKuBOKG6 Hardly a secret given that the NDP has always bent over and taken it in the rump for unionists, but I guess come May, we either decide between the BCLibs or the BCNDPFed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langdon Algur Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 This is just silly, of course labour is going to lobby the NDP and as the historic party of labour of course the NDP will listen. No conspiracy here this is just everday BC politics. The small business owners lobby and BC business council does the same thing with the Liberials all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Meanwhile, in other news...grass is green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMapleLaughs Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Say whaaaaaaaaaat? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dral Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Hey, look at these secret documents we found, there must be a hidden agenda here! (reads documents) "We have to publicly support Adrian/NDP with our members" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi Babe Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 This is just silly, of course labour is going to lobby the NDP and as the historic party of labour of course the NDP will listen. No conspiracy here this is just everday BC politics. The small business owners lobby and BC business council does the same thing with the Liberials all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Meanwhile, in other news...grass is green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 This isn't much of a shocker. NDP = labour unions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonLever Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 This ^^^ My comment when I read the thread title was " People are honestly surprised at this?" I've always thought this was a well-known fact here in BC, not sure why anyone is surprised to see it 'exposed' in black and white. History people, read your NDP history..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Don't quote me on this, but I heard a viscous rumor that the Chamber of Commerce is "in bed" with Christy and the "Libs"? .. now that is an image I could live without .. nude, over-weight "white" people frolicking on a king sized bed .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Meanwhile, in other news...grass is green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tru_Knyte Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Uhh..durrrr? It's politics, everyone is bed with somebody....some more literally than others Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I have white stuff all over my yellow grass .. you must live in Utopia .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armada Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'm leaving this province if the NDP win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'm leaving this province if the NDP win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I've survived 2 previous NDP governments. (three, if you count Glen Clark's re-election) We'll muddle through. The way I see it, it's not really the end of the world. Either Dix will do a good job, or he'll fail miserably like Clark and Barrett before him. Then people will remember why the Socreds/Libs have been running the province for the bulk of the past 60 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 I'm leaving this province if the NDP win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Our climate isn't much different than Vancouver's. We get lots of rain and not much snow. It's actually been snowing here off and on for the past couple of days, but it's mostly melted by mid day. The less snow I have to shovel, the better I like it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronthecivil Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 Bye .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n00bxQb Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 He won't if he lives outside of Greater Vancouver/Greater Victoria. Small town BC lost thousands of jobs due to Liberal policies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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