THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT MORE THAN POLITICS

Knowing what’s at stake. It’s hard to remember what things were like in B.C. before the NDP government was elected in 2017. But in other provinces, CUPE members know all too well what anti-worker governments mean to working families.

Across the country, conservative provincial governments intervene in collective bargaining, use legislation to cap wages, order striking workers back to work, and impose wages to prevent workers from striking at all. These governments cut healthcare, education, and the other public services CUPE families rely on.

Making good choices. It’s tough to make good choices when frustrated, and it is fair to be frustrated at yet another unexpected election. However, even when unexpected, elections are our best chance to have our say, make our voices heard, and elect the best option for our priorities and our families.

Making a good decision in this election means thinking about what matters, considering the facts, and making a choice about what will make life better for the people in our communities, and those we care about.

Making good choices is about protecting what we've won, the services we rely on, and the workplace rights that protect our safety and financial security.

Securing our future. Many important victories have been won by working with the BC NDP in the last ten years—victories that would not have been possible had any other government been elected.

Public sector bargaining wage mandates have had higher annual increases. While bargaining with the BC government has been a bumpy road, the wage mandates under the BC NDP have been far better than those experienced through the previous 16 years, where workers faces wage cuts, net-zero mandates, or long contract terms with minimal increase to wages, if at all (link).

Bargaining under the BC NDP has placed more value on your work, and delivered higher wages for you and your family.

Investing in public services, healthcare, childcare, and education. Investment in new schools, additions, and seismic upgrades in school districts across the province, as well as repurposing spaces and expanding child care on school grounds to support families and the members who provide this programming (link). The BC NDP continue to make investments in the services that matter to workers and their families.

Working to make life more affordable. It is easy to forget that the BC NDP eliminated costly bridge tolls, and eliminated medical service premiums, cut the cost of childcare, and drastically reduced car insurance rates (link). Previously among the highest, B.C. now has some of the most affordable car insurance rates in Canada, as privatization in other provinces has contributed to soaring insurance premiums for drivers.

Introduced guaranteed sick leave for all workers. Under the BC NDP, the provincial government now requires all employers to provide at least five paid sick days (link). This is a significant improvement for many members who were part-time, casual, or precarious, and were previously ineligible for paid sick days-plus for those members who had sick pay at less than 100 percent.

Increased the number of paramedics and emergency dispatch staff across British Columbia. The BC NDP have made a significant increase to the number of regular permanent positions, service hours, and investments in ambulances, air ambulances, and station upgrades (link).

Expanding presumptive coverage for workers who experience traumatic events at work. The BC NDP have changed WorkSafeBC to ensure that mental disorders will be presumed to have been caused by work events for those who regularly experience traumatic events (link). This makes it easier for paramedics, emergency dispatchers, harm reduction workers, firefighters, and health care assistants (among other occupations) to make WorkSafe claims.

In Alberta, the Conservative government is encouraging American-style two-tier health care (link), and has used the Notwithstanding Clause to impose a collective agreement on teachers (one that they had previously rejected) and force them back to work.

The provincial government in Saskatchewan is restricting funding for child care, has halted tuition-free training opportunities for Early Childhood Educators, rolled back expansion of the program, and opened the door for new fees for families (link). Saskatchewan workers have also gone more than four years without a wage increase for already underpaid health care workers (link).

The Conservative government of Ontario is responsible for underfunding, understaffing, and cuts to thousands of hospital jobs, privatizing hospital and health care services to the private sector, increasing wait times and reducing access to services (link). Ontario Conservatives have also been underfunding public education across the province, with hundreds of jobs lost across the sector (link).