Who We Are
Formed in 1958, and like its parent organization the Canadian Labour Congress, the Labour Council advocates on behalf of all working people in many different ways – from organizing campaigns and rallies to lobbying federal politicians in Parliament to speaking out in the media and to business on key issues to representing Canada’s labour movement internationally to developing partnerships with the community and other supportive groups.
Our goals are simple – what we wish for ourselves we desire for all.
That includes decent wages, healthy and safe workplaces, fair labour laws, equality rights, dignity in retirement, a sustainable environment and respect for basic human rights – here in the West Kootenay area, Canada and around the world.
We believe that unions are a positive force for democratic social change – and that by working together we can improve Canada for everyone.
Canadian Labour History
Canada’s labour movement has a long history of improving workers’ everyday lives. We fought for and won many of the rights enjoyed by all workers today – minimum wages, overtime pay, workplace safety standards, maternity and parental leave, vacation pay, and protection from discrimination and harassment.
Today unions work hard every day to protect the rights we’ve won and to win new rights for all workers. We are social unions, focused not just on the gains we can make in bargaining, but the gains we can make for society as a whole, like fighting to end child labour, or to win workers compensation, public pensions and social programs that help people keep working, like health care and child care.
