B.C. labour minister reflects on a year of strike disruption amid cost-of-living crisis

Labour disputes have been top of mind in 2023, from the national strike by the Public Service Alliance of Canada in the spring to ongoing action by Hollywood actors and writers. 

Amid these were the long-running Fraser Valley transit strike and the action that shut down British Columbia's ports for almost two weeks in July, costing more than $10 billion in disrupted trade, according to one estimate. 

B.C. Labour Minister Harry Bains says cost-of-living struggles have prompted discussions for workers, businesses and governments alike. 

Bains joined CBC's The Early Edition on Labour Day to discuss what can be learned from the year's labour disputes, and the challenges that lie ahead. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What's been on your mind as you've watched the strikes and negotiations play out this year?

When you look at the global inflation impacting workers and everyone all around the world, the workers feel that they need to stay up with inflation. We've certainly seen some high-profile labour disputes in B.C. this year, including the Fraser Valley transit strike, port strike and also some of the hotels went on strike.

What we are seeing is the labour movement and the workers exercising their rights that are enshrined in our constitution: the right to join a union, the right to collective bargaining and to withdraw services in order to achieve good working conditions, good wages and benefits.

But when I compare labour disputes today to my times as a frontline worker in the 1970s, '80s and '90s, there were much higher labour disputes back then.

In the '70s and '80s, people could afford to live where they worked and that doesn't seem to be the case anymore. What are your thoughts on the concerns people have with wages not keeping up with the cost of living and cost of housing?

There are many challenges today, post-COVID, such as labour shortages. 

The federal government and the Bank of Canada are dealing with inflation. They have some tools, but I think we can do what we can to make life a bit more affordable for British Columbians. We have implemented quite a few programs, such as reducing childcare costs, B.C. Hydro rebates, ICBC rate reduction, eliminating bridge tolls and the additional affordability credit.

Businesses are facing two challenges: can they pass on additional costs to consumer, who are also facing cost of living challenges; and can they find workers with the right skills? 

What we can do as a government is support businesses, support the labour movement and support the workers. Through the Future Ready Action Plan, we provide accessible and affordable education and training to those businesses so that they can thrive and survive at least. 

Businesses talk about the burden of costs — taxes and government fees limiting what they're able to pay workers. Meanwhile, full-time workers earning minimum wage are still living in poverty and nowhere close to a living wage. What is being done about these issues?

The Fair Wages Commission showed us the pathway to at least $15 an hour as a minimum wage. They also told us businesses want certainty. 

They heard from businesses that they don't want wages raised very quickly without any chance for them to catch up, or a freeze on wages for a number of years. 

The commission said let's take politics out of the minimum wage and tie it to a permanent program, such as the rate of inflation. That's exactly what we've done the last two years.

The Fair Wage Commission's last mandate suggested government-wide programs to deal with the gap that exists between minimum wage and the living wage. I've listed a number of those [programs]. 

I think we can do what we can as a government in British Columbia, but the rate of inflation, food costs — those are sometimes internationally driven and the federal government is trying to deal with those issues hurting businesses and workers in the short term. 

It is a complex situation. It is a difficult time we are going through, but we are equipped and our workers are very resilient. Businesses are resilient. We are going to get through it.

We've heard some workers are handing over more than half of their paycheques to keep a roof over their head. What is being done to support workers struggling with affordable housing? 

That's one of the biggest challenges when you see a federal government and previous provincial governments basically neglecting this particular area. 

We saw more people moving to B.C. last year than anytime in the previous 60 years, because I think they see some hope and opportunity in British Columbia. But that adds to the housing crisis we already have, to the school crowding and health care [issues].

But we are dealing with each one of those areas and our ministers are dealing with them on a daily basis. We're not there yet, but I think programs are in place. 

You'll see some more programs to deal with housing and the delay in permitting at city hall this coming fall.