Reconciliation
The BC Federation of Labour has a long and proud record of fighting for workers’ rights. And even in the earliest days of organized labour in British Columbia, Indigenous workers have been a driving force in our movement.
Yet we are an organization built by settlers in a colonial system that has a legacy of oppression of Indigenous communities and racism — a legacy we failed for many years to acknowledge, and which we are only now beginning to reckon with.
To address this history, the BCFED has embarked on a path toward Reconciliation. We are committed to building stronger Indigenous relations and partnerships within the labour movement, and to advocating for justice and reconciliation in communities throughout BC.
The labour movement is transforming so we can move forward to a path of genuine respect and true partnership with Indigenous workers and partners. This plan includes our first steps to correct past injustices and to centre Reconciliation with Indigenous workers in the labour movement.
Sussanne Skidmore
Through the leadership of the Indigenous Workers Caucus and many hours of work on their part, we now have a plan that includes commitments to:
- Conduct an audit of all BCFED policies and procedures to bring them into line with recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action, The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Final Report and Calls for Justice, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and The Red Women Rising Report. This work will be done in consultation with Indigenous Workers Representatives, and recommended changes will be delivered to committees and officers, as needed, to make their way to future conventions.
- Develop a plan for training and education in Indigenous Cultural Competency within the BCFED and across member unions.
- Build on the work done by affiliates, compile best practices, and share these with officers and Executive Council as part of regular meetings.
- Deepen the relationships with Indigenous partner organizations. Plan for ongoing meetings and consultations to connect on issues of mutual concern and report on progress on Reconciliation work.
- Identify meaningful measures the labour movement can take to be more inclusive of Indigenous workers. These measures will be determined through ongoing work with representatives from the Indigenous Workers Caucus.
