November 27, 2008

Website mydues.ca keeps public, union members up to date on educators’ protest of unions’ use of dues for political causes

(November 27, 2008 – Vancouver, BC) A website has been set up at www.mydues.ca to keep the public informed about the struggle of two union members who are trying to prevent their unions from spending their dues on causes the members do not support. Gloria Laurence, a CUPE member, and Wendy Weis, a member of BCTF, have been named as parties to the B.C. Supreme Court case of four unions’ legal challenge against third-party election spending, which begins hearing arguments on December 1.

“Ever since we went public with this court case, we’ve been hearing from other union members and the public that they share our belief that mandatory union dues should be used only for collective bargaining, not for political advertising,” says Laurence. “We’ve been overwhelmed with how many people, union members and non members alike, have supported our stand.”

In the 2005 election, four B.C. unions spent nearly $3 million trying to get the NDP elected. A September 2008 public opinion poll by LabourWatch found that about eighty per cent of Canadians oppose the use of union dues for political purposes.

“Mydues.ca will give people a chance to show their support for these two brave educators who are standing up for their individual rights,” says Philip Hochstein, President of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, which is helping Laurence and Weis. “Mydues.ca will help keep up to date everyone interested in this case and in the issues of unions advertising for political purposes and mandatory union dues.”

About ICBA (www.icba.ca)
ICBA services and represents B.C.’s construction sector. ICBA is pro-employee and pro-workers’ rights, and continues to support actions that protect the democratic rights of all workers.

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