Nanaimo, Duncan, & District

Labour Council

P.O. Box 822 Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5N2
Ph:(250)760-0547 labour@telus.net

Labour Councils in History

Nearly 150 years ago, when it was illegal to belong to a union, workers met in the basements of the homes of their local leaders. These gatherings became our first labour councils. Records of these meetings show that these workers called for universal public education systen, an end to child labour, and an end to the six-day work week.

These first labour leaders never looked back. They continued to call for the creation of laws that would benefit all members of society. Laws that would become the foundation of our social programs in Canada today.

Today's Labour Councils

What We Do and Where We Do It

Local Unions come together in labour councils and coordinating committees in over 125 communities, from St. John's to Nanaimo. We are working with our community partners to maintain and strengthen health care, the public education system, and to protect our social programs.

The Nanaimo, Duncan & District Labour Council represents 65 affiliated local unions with a combined membership of 14,000 men and women trade unionists in the central Vancouver Island area, from Cobble Hill to Qualicum Beach, and the Gulf Islands north of Saltspring. We have been chartered as a Labour Council since May, 1958.

Labour activists volunteer their time and work with the Canadian Labour Congress and grassroots organizations to build stronger and more caring communities. We do this by fighting for equal access to quality social programs and public services and decent jobs and standards of living for everyone. We work together to close the growing gap between the rich and poor in our society.

How We Help Build Our Communities

Working Together
Being Involved In The Community
Educating Our Members
Organizing Workers
Lobbying Government
Campaigning For Justice
Taking Political Action
Supporting Striking or Locked Out Workers
Building an Alternative Economic and Social Vision

Labour Councils in the Community

Working actively to support people's needs is a big part of the work of the Nanaimo, Duncan & District Labour Council. Here are a few examples:

working with the United Way
hosting food drives, clothing drives, and community picnics
researching and publishing a paper on the state of apprenticeship training
participating with the Mid Island Health Council to fight for public medical care
assisting Dry Grads in our communities
participating on community boards and agencies
talking to young people in schools about unions
assisting like minded people in their elections to different levels of office

What We Support

The Nanaimo, Duncan & District Labour Council fights for social and economic justice, working to build healthy, sustainable communities by speaking out and taking action on economic, social and environmental issues.

We join parents, students, education workers and community groups in the fight for accessible, affordable, public and post-secondary education. We assist healthcare workers and community coalitions in the struggle for continued universal, quality healthcare. We join in the fight to keep publicly funded and run seniors homes like Cowichan Lodge open.

We come together with community allies to gain fair wages and decent standards of living for all people, but especially young people, through job creation, keeping well paying union jobs in our communities, community economic development, training, safety programs, and adequate social programs like unemployment insurance.

The Nanaimo, Duncan & District Labour Council assists unions in organizing new workplaces, so more workers can join the thirty-three percent (33 %) of union workers that enjoy an average of twenty-five percent (25%) higher wages and benefits.

Together with our community partners we we fight for equality, pay equity, universal childcare, employment equity, protection from discrimination, harassment and violence against women, people of colour, aboriginal peoples, gays and lesbians.

We are committed to challenging racism in our workplaces, schools, legislatures, courts and the economy. We stand for international peace, and are united with aboriginal people in their struggles for jobs and justice.

What Participating in a Labour Council Can Offer Your Union

a network of social activists and resources for support
labour and social justive education courses
a way to take action and reach the larger community with your issues and concerns
a way to develop workers' rights and build a stronger labour movement and community
a progressive community voice