News and media

(Coast Salish territory, Vancouver BC) - After months of hardship and uncertainty in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a minimum wage increase is just what British Columbia’s lowest-paid workers need, BC Federation of Labour president Laird Cronk said today. “This is great news for hundreds of thousands of British Columbians,” Cronk said, referring to the increase in the minimum hourly wage from

The BC Federation of Labour is angered and outraged by the recent violent attacks against Black community members locally, nationally and internationally. Police brutality and police murders of Black community members are a reality in our communities, one the BCFED recognizes the labour movement must advocate against. The collective trauma of watching Black lives be brutalized and murdered is

(Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver BC) As BC’s economy slowly reopens, the province’s labour movement is encouraging British Columbians to think beyond just rebuilding the economy we had before the COVID-19 outbreak. “We have an unprecedented opportunity not just to restart the economy we had, but the economy we want,” said BCFED president Laird Cronk as the federation released its blueprint for

On May 17, we honour the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). Since 2004, IDAHOBIT has served to raise awareness of the discrimination and violence experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and two-spirit (LGBTQI2S) people globally. This year's international theme is Breaking the Silence, and it has never been

We're shocked and saddened to learn of WCB Chair Ralph McGinn’s passing on Monday. For many years, he has been at the forefront of keeping BC workers safe on the job: from his work in the 90s as WCB’s VP of Prevention, to leading the agency as President and CEO, and most recently as the board chair. And before that, as chief inspector of mines, Ralph earned a reputation for uncompromising

(Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver BC) – BC’s labour movement is pleased with the recent Workers Compensation Board (WCB) announcement that COVID-19 will be added to Schedule 1 of the Workers Compensation Act, BCFED president Laird Cronk said today. “It’s an important step,” he said, “and putting this into place is critical.” The measure, known as presumptive coverage, will mean “workers who