Standing committees

This committee's terms of reference are currently under development.

The terms of reference of the Climate Justice and Jobs Standing Committee:

• Advise the BC Federation of Labour on the policies, measures and actions needed to address climate change and bring about a worker-centered, intersectional just transition to a net-zero economy, with a view to pursuing reconciliation and economic, Indigenous, racial and gender justice
• Actively engage unions representing workers affected by both climate change and economic transition in shaping BCFED policy, to ensure a sustainable future that secures all workers’ rights and livelihoods
• Collaborate with Indigenous communities and allies engaged in climate and just transition work and seek insights to inform the Committee’s discussions and decisions;
• Share information and amplify messages among and between affiliates, including educational programming, campaigns and related collective agreement language achievements
• Foster a space for communication, collaboration and collective mobilization around climate change throughout the Federation, across affiliates and with community and allied groups
• Monitor, report on and analyze government policies and performance on sustainability and climate change, and advise and support the Federation on lobbying for more effective, comprehensive measures

The terms of reference for the Human Rights Standing Committee:

• Recommend to the officers and executive council policy and program initiatives relating to human rights and equality, including programs to combat racism and discrimination that build solidarity and equality within the labour movement
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policy and program initiatives that recognize and appreciate people of different racial groups, creeds, ethnicity, genders, sexual orientation and mental or physical abilities, and promote the participation of equity-seeking groups within the labour movement’s structure and activities
• Recommend to the officers and executive council strategies and programs for working with other human rights groups and institutions on issues of mutual concern

The terms of reference for the newly created Indigenous Rights and Reconciliation Standing Committee are under development.

The terms of reference for the Occupational Health And Safety Standing Committee:

• Recommend to the officers and executive council policy and program initiatives to improve health and safety in the workplace, promote rehabilitation of workers, and preserve the integrity of our environment
• Monitor and report on the activities of the BC Workers' Compensation Board and related agencies
• Act as an information exchange for affiliated unions
• Implement programs at the direction of the officers and executive council

This committee's terms of reference are currently under development.

The terms of reference for the Political Action Standing Committee:

• Recommend to the officers and executive council political education and action program initiatives that meet Federation policy objectives
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policy and program initiatives relating to the political freedoms of union members
• Assist affiliated unions to develop and expand their political action programs
• Carry out its activities in relation to political activism in provincial government and credit unions
• Work in conjunction with the Canadian Labour Congress in relation to federal politics
• Work in conjunction with labour councils in relation to local government politics

The terms of reference for the Women and Gender Rights Standing Committee:

• Monitor and report on women's progress to achieving equality in the workplace, the trade union movement and the community
• Recommend to the officers and executive council a legislative program to achieve and ensure equality of women in community life
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policies and programs to promote the full participation and equality of women in the trade union movement
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policies and programs to achieve equality of access, opportunity and compensation in the workplace through collective bargaining
• Act as an information exchange for affiliates
• Liaise with other women's equality groups in the community and promote labour's policies
• Implement programs at the direction of the officers and executive council

Terms of reference for the Young Workers' Committee:

• Identify central issues that are facing young workers, such as the staggering rates of unemployment, underemployment, and precarious employment; often in non-unionized workplaces where workers’ rights violations are commonplace
• Identify policy, legislation, and ideology that facilitate the erosion of workers’ rights and targets young workers
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policies and programs to promote the full participation of young workers in the labour movement
• Act as an information exchange for Young Workers' Committee affiliates
• Mobilize young workers and organize horizontally with other equity seeking groups, so as to more effectively combat systemic inequality in recognition of the interrelated nature of systemic inequality
• Identify systemic inequality based on gender, race, age, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, and various forms of othering which is built into various policies, legislation, and ideologies in order to engage in horizontal mobilization
• Recommend to the officers and executive council strategies and programs for working jointly with other committees, equity seeking groups, community groups and institutions on issues of mutual concern and combatting inequality at all levels
• Recommend to the officers and executive council policies and programs to promote the growth of the labour movement, especially non-unionized young worker engagement with the labour movement