Many thanks to PSAC member Liz Oliphant (UEW 20076) for this report from the BC Fed Young Worker's Conference!
On Sunday November 25, 2012, young workers from BC gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Vancouver for the annual BCFed young worker conference. The theme of the conference was “Young Workers Mobilizing for Change: Connecting With and Changing Communities.” The goal was to promote greater inclusion and diversity within the labour movement.
PSAC was represented by 3 young workers: Erica Yang, Liz Oliphant, and David Lilly.
The agenda for the day included: convention procedures and mock resolution debates, a welcome by BCFed president Jim Sinclair, guest speakers, a panel discussion, and political action workshops.
Jim Sinclair addressed the young workers in attendance with key messages and stories. He discussed the importance of social unionism and fighting for everyone’s rights, not just the rights of unionized workers. He reminded us that workers did not receive anything without a struggle and that we need to continue to work toward the equality, justice, and fairness that we want to see in our communities. Jim also imparted that we must stand together because “united we bargain; divided we beg.”
The panel discussion included 3 guests with inspiring stories of courage, perseverance, and creativity. Rhiannon Bennett, member of the Musqueam Coast Salish First Nations, talked about the controversial proposed development of c̓əsnaʔəm, an ancestral village and burial site. She spoke to the significance of using a thoughtful process when planning political action and having reasonable escalation of actions and protests.
Ajay Puri, a grassroots organizer and activist, described advocacy projects that he has been involved in. Community groups such as Rangi Changi Roots and projects such as East Van Love promote diversity, multiculturalism, and tolerance. Ajay stressed that the common thread in mobilization needs to be “learn from the membership.” We can only inspire action and change when we understand what motivates our members.
Sean Devlin, producer, comedian, and climate activist, was the third panelist. He shared a different definition of apathy. He described apathy as a form of “self-defense” since being “acutely aware of the current state of the world is overwhelming.” His encouragement was to illustrate a clear path of action so the audience can “see themselves as the hero.” He also suggested that participants not only analyze their successes and failures, but also debrief emotionally.
The keynote address was given by ,Brigette DePape. Brigette was formerly a page in the House of Commons. She bravely held up a “Stop Harper” sign in the House during the Governor General’s throne speech. She consequently lost her job, but her action has garnered a ground swell of support across the nation and she has gone on to advise and help other groups organize. Her message to young workers was that “you do not need permission” so “act boldly, take risks, and confront injustice.”
In the afternoon, participants were split into break out groups by topic. The health and safety group brainstormed a list of issues that young workers are facing in the province. Issues such as the pipeline, child labour, living wages, access to services, tuition fees, and the environment were all raised as concerns. This political action workshop illustrated the connections between finding common issues, telling a personal story that others can relate to, inspiring hope for change, and providing concrete examples of actions.
This conference was a great opportunity to network with young workers from other unions and share stories of union experiences. The guest speakers were inspiring and the mock resolution debates were particularly valuable in demonstrating the format and etiquette of convention. Thank you to Daphne Ho for providing the subsidy from the Regional Council – Young Worker Coordinator’s budget that allowed me to participate in this event.