British Columbia Federation of Labour

What is Count Me In: The Campaign for Change?

Count Me In is a Campaign coordinated by the B.C. Federation of Labour. It’s union members talking to union members about issues that matter to them.

Think of it as a massive organizing drive, reaching out to over half a million union member in every community across the province. Working people who are involved, informed, and mobilized can make the change we need in British Columbia.

With election day quickly approaching, it's more important than ever for people across BC to work to bring change to our province.

Why did the B.C. Federation of Labour launch this Campaign?

Working families have suffered under BC Liberal policies, perpetuated by both federal and provincial governments.

Valuable public services have been cut to finance a tax cut policy that rewards BC’s wealthiest at the expense of everyone else.

Real wages are falling behind, as wage increases are being dwarfed by inflation. Consumer debt and personal bankruptcy are on the rise, while housing values slide. The latest information on child poverty shows that one in five children in our province now lives in poverty, and homelessness has sky-rocketed by 373% under the Campbell government.

We are rapidly becoming a society made up of the excessively wealthy, and everyone else.

What role does the B.C. Federation of Labour play in the Campaign?

The centrepiece of Count Me In is the systematic, coordinated member-to-member dialogue at workplaces and in communities.

Trained volunteers will fan out to engage their co-workers in a discussion about their experiences under the present government, identify the election issues that matter most, and encourage them to work and vote for the party that they think is most likely to represent their family’s interests.

What does my union do in the Campaign?

While Count Me In is the unifying Campaign, the way each union delivers it on the ground may vary.

Some unions have developed their own campaign materials. Some are conducting workplace canvasses, while others are phoning their members. Some unions organize events or rallies, while others coordinate specific campaigns on transit, health care, or other important political issues.

Some unions are non-partisan while others are openly encouraging their members to vote for certain candidates.