Count Me In! BC

This letter is written to all BC TWU members who are in the process of deliberating who they might be supporting in the May 12 provincial election.

The TWU-STT Political Action Committee is taking this opportunity to communicate with TWU-STT members about the importance of participating in the upcoming elections and acknowledging how vital the democratic process is in determining what kind of future we, and our children, will face.

The reality of politics these days is that no party can claim to meet the needs of all, nor govern in such a manner that every problem is addressed. Having said that, each political party has a philosophical agenda and an administrative approach that flavours their governance and impacts our working lives, our health and welfare, our social and economic state, our environment, and the future of our province.

For that reason, we want all our members to consider these questions. Do you feel you are better off now than you were eight years ago? Do you feel that the people governing now are representing your interests? Have your prospects brightened?

Our birthright to the shared profits of this province has been squandered by the privatization and sale of industries and resources that properly belong to the citizens of BC.

In order to make up for the loss of value that those resources would have brought us, middle-income earners must pay a higher price to build and maintain infrastructure, such as roads, schools and hospitals, that keep communities wealthy and healthy. At the same time, workers are subsidizing the same wealthy corporations that are taking jobs out of country. The cumulative effect is that our tax burden is greater, the services and protections we expect are weakened and the economy worsens except for a small percentage of the population.

The policies that have promoted deregulation, outsourcing to foreign interests, the sale and privatization of our country's vast resources (the same type of policies adopted and practiced by Bush in the US) are still being embraced by Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals. Despite Campbell's PR spin regarding BC's strong economy, the facts don't support that and families are feeling the pain. Statistics Canada reported that between February 2008 and February 2009, the number of EI beneficiaries almost tripled in Williams Lake and doubled in Quesnel, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Chilliwack, Powell River and Penticton. In Vancouver, the number of beneficiaries increased by 75%, while Victoria saw an 89% increase.

This won't stop without a focused and concentrated action and that means getting out to the polls and making your voice heard.

The Political Action Committee believes that Carole James and the BC NDP have developed a solid plan to improve the lives of ordinary people. To read Carole James' No Nonsense Plan, please visit: www.bcndp.ca

We want to remind you at this time that if you need time off work to attend to your civic duty - your collective agreement and the Elections Act provides you with the opportunity to take paid time off work as necessary in order to vote.

Here are the rules according to the Elections BC website:

Time off from work for voting

You are entitled to four consecutive hours off from work between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on General Voting Day if you are an eligible voter. It is up to your employer to decide when during the day you can take this time off. It is illegal for your employer to deduct pay or penalize you for taking time off to vote. Employers and employees are encouraged to work together so that all eligible voters can vote without disrupting business operations.

You are not entitled to take time off if your place of work is so remote that it would be unreasonable to try and reach a voting place during voting hours.

More information can be found on Elections BC website: http://www.elections.bc.ca

Thank you for giving us this opportunity to communicate our thoughts with you about this important issue. We wish all our members the best as they deliberate on the issues currently facing the voters in BC and encourage you to contact us if you need any further information and assistance.

In Solidarity,

TWU-STT Political Action Committee