Why do public sector unions treat the B.C. NDP so badly?
Serious question.
The B.C. General Employees Union (yes, they recently changed the name of the union) is currently putting the screws at the bargaining table to the same government they urged all of their 33,000 members to vote for in the 2020 provincial election.
Of course, the BCGEU and all of the other unions representing provincial public sector employees should fight hard for better wages, benefits and working conditions for their members. That’s their job and their members give up a small but significant portion of each of their pay cheques for the union to do its work.
But why give the NDP, the party that enthusiastically embraces its ties to organized labour, such a rough ride, in light of what the government has wrestled with over the past two years with COVID-19, huge wildfires and massive flooding?
Rapidly rising consumer prices are certainly a concern but those fears may be exaggerated, in light of how increasing inflation has already stalled in the U.S. And even if higher inflation sticks around, wouldn’t it be better for the BCGEU and other public sector unions to agree to two or three per cent wage hikes over four or five years and then some sort of annual cash bonus tied to the inflation rate at that time?
That’s certainly the kind of concession at the bargaining table one would think the BCGEU and their fellow unions would be willing to grant to their chosen political party.
Consider the alternative.
Do they think they’d get a better deal from Kevin Falcon?
If Falcon were premier and his B.C. Liberals were in power, would the government have invited the BCGEU back to the bargaining table, as the NDP did Tuesday, or would they have issued 72-hour lockout notice and gone on the offensive, blasting those greedy unions?
If the NDP government doesn’t appear to have negotiated aggressively with public sector workers to keep wage increases reasonable on behalf of taxpayers, isn’t that just boosting Falcon’s prospects in the next election?
The fact that Falcon and the B.C. Liberals weren’t demanding the NDP government get back to bargaining (and how the NDP would have been if Falcon were in charge) should say everything the BCGEU leadership needs to know about their fortunate position at the moment.
Getting a good new contract for workers is the goal.
Raking your political friends over hot coals on the way to that goal just doesn’t seem very smart.
