We are nearly three weeks into our public campaign to achieve essential pay for our essential work. By wearing our buttons, we're sending a clear message to our employer, BCLDB GM & CEO Blain Lawson, that it's time we received compensation for our government-deemed essential work. Your solidarity and courage to wear these buttons is commendable and critical – not just for winning this campaign, but also to build collective power to fight for other improvements in the future. 

Today we stepped up the campaign by issuing a letter to Blain demanding that he wear a button in recognition of the validity of our campaign, meet with us in January to hear our stories first-hand, and do whatever he must do to achieve essential pay for us. 

We also told the media about our campaign and the letter to Blain and offered them an interview with your co-worker, Orson Choy – a warehouse worker, OHS committee member and shop steward at the Delta Distribution Centre. If you, too, would like to speak with the media about your experience, please get in touch with [email protected] and our union's communications staff will work with you to develop your story. 
Read more about our actions so far on the campaign microsite: bcldb.bcgeu.ca
 
To achieve our goals, we must continue building pressure. Here's what you can do:

• Wear your button and encourage your co-workers to do the same. If you have concerns about wearing a button on the job, review these Frequently Asked Questions or contact Scott Drake, BCGEU Organizer, at 604-789-9355, [email protected]. 
  
  
• Take photos of yourself wearing a button. When you do, make sure to adhere to health protocols (wear a mask, and keep physical distance from others in the photo). Share your photo on social media alongside the campaign hashtags #essentialBCLDB and #thankmewithessentialpay and tag @bcgeu. Or let our union share for you – submit your photos to [email protected] and please include your name, store/warehouse name, and union local number. 

• Complete the upcoming survey about your willingness to take job action for essential pay. We will send an email on Monday with the link to this survey. Encourage your coworkers to complete it.

From the start, this has been a campaign initiated, designed and driven by us – union members. We have power as a collective, and we are stronger if each of us participates. If you want to help drive this campaign further, join the organizing working group by contacting Scott Drake, BCGEU Organizer, at 604-789-9355, [email protected]. We are meeting next on Monday, December 21.
 
If you have any questions, please respond to this email.
 
In solidarity,
 
Kusam Doal
BCGEU Vice President, Component 5 (Retail Stores and Warehouses)

UWU/MoveUP