---

VDLC Regular Meeting
January 14, 2020
7:00 PM

*REMINDER – This month’s meeting takes place in the CONFERENCE ROOM*
Maritime Labour Centre
1880 Triumph St.

Guest Speaker – Kennedy Stewart, Mayor of the City of Vancouver

The Constitution and By-Law’s which are under review will be on the agenda for January’s meeting. If you wish to view the items under review prior to the meeting, you can visit the VDLC website at http://www.vdlc.ca/resource

The following recommendations will be dealt with:

a)MS         that the following recommendation be adopted:
Subject:  Affiliation of PSAC Local 20088 (Union of Canadian Transportation Employees)THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL approve the request for affiliation of eighteen (18) members of PSAC Local 20088 UCTE.

b)MS       that the following recommendation be adopted:
Subject: Affiliation of IATSE Local 118
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL approve the request for affiliation of four hundred and twelve (412) members of IATSE 118.

c)MS       that the following recommendation be adopted:
Subject: Safer Supply Saves Lives
BECAUSE despite the immense efforts from community organizations, drug user groups and government since the overdose crisis was declared a Public Health Emergency on April 14, 2016, every day 4 British Columbians die as a result of the poisoned illicit drug supply; and
BECAUSE every community in BC is impacted by the crisis, with a disproportionate impact on First Nations people, people living in poverty and those struggling with chronic pain and mental health issues; and
BECAUSE establishing a public health, regulatory approach to psychoactive substances is recommended ty the Health Officers’ Council of BC, the BC Centre on Substance Use, Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, BC’s Provincial Health Officer, and Vancouver Coastal Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer;
BECAUSE in April 2019, the BC Government rejected calls by the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry for policy changes that would prevent people who use illicit drugs from facing jail time or a criminal record for simple possession, despite support from the Victoria and Vancouver police departments and legal mechanisms under the provincial Police Act to set policing priorities,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL endorse the City of Vancouver’s Safe Supply Statement and support its efforts to advocate for a safer supply of drugs in order to protect and prevent further loss of our family members, friends, neighbours and loved ones; and
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER urge the BC Government to work with the Solicitor General to immediately decriminalize  personal possession of drugs to reduce the stigma of substance use disorder and support engagement in harm reduction and treatment, and press the Federal Government for the same; and
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FINALLY write to the BC Federation of Labour, and the Canadian Labour Congress, enclosing a copy of this recommendation and asking them to press for action from the provincial and federal governments respectively.

d)MS       that the following recommendation be adopted:
Subject:  Canadian Labour Congress Convention
BECAUSE the Canadian Labour Congress has issued the Convention Call for its 2020 convention; and
BECAUSE as a Labour Council chartered by the Congress, the Vancouver and District Labour Council is entitled to send two (2) delegates to this convention,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL appoint President Stephen von Sychowski and one (1) other member of the Executive Board to attend the convention as delegates.

e)MS       that the following recommendation be adopted:
Subject:  No War with Iran
BECAUSE the United States military, on the order of President Donald Trump, launched a drone attack on January 3^rd which killed several, including General Quassem Suleimani, Iran’s top military figure; and
BECAUSE this strike, which was in violation of international law, was a reckless provocation which appears to be leading toward further conflict including military conflict between the United States and Iran; and
BECAUSE this conflict has the dangerous potential of expanding into a regional or even global war causing untold loss of life, and massive environmental and climate impacts; and
BECAUSE the VDLC has a long history of standing in solidarity with the people of Iran, and with those fighting for human rights and workers’ rights, however we recognize that war with Iran will only bring death and destruction to the Iranian people and is not a path to liberation from its current repressive regime; and
BECAUSE it is working people who pay the price for war, whether as soldiers or civilian casualties, while a small number of wealthy individuals and corporations reap the war profits and the spoils; and
BECAUSE the Canadian government issued a statement in response to the attack which was wholly unsatisfactory and neither clarified its position with regards to war with Iran, nor satisfactorily condemned the aggressive war mongering actions and rhetoric emanating from the United States government and particularly from President Trump; and
BECAUSE over sixty persons of Iranian descent have already been detained at U.S. border crossings without cause and other instances of racism aimed at persons of middle eastern descent and other racialized people are again on the rise,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL condemn the January 3^rd attack, as well as the ongoing war mongering actions and rhetoric that threatens to lead to military conflict; and
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER oppose war with Iran and call upon the Canadian government do to same and to remain neutral in any conflict that should break out and withdraw Canadian forces from the region; and
THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FINALLY reiterate its opposition to Islamophobia and racism and xenophobia of all kinds, oppose the profiling and racist treatment of people of Iranian descent and other racialized people and communities, and stand for solidarity of the workers and people of all nations against war.

Guests are always welcome to attend VDLC Regular meetings to observe.