Unions’ influence over B.C. NDP questioned

Published Tuesday, Dec. 07, 2010 8:21PM ESTLast updated Tuesday, Dec. 07, 2010 8:37PM EST5 comments

Questions are being raised about the role of B.C. unions in the internal affairs of the New Democratic Party after two prominent labour leaders became involved in an attempt to resolve the split within the NDP legislative caucus.

Did United Steelworkers of B.C. head Steve Hunt and B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair volunteer their services because they’re experienced negotiators and were willing to help resolve differences in the caucus over the leadership of Carole James?

Or did the labour leaders step in because the unions guaranteed the party a financial lifeline to deal with debt from the recent election and hoped to assert greater control over a splintering party that was undermining its chances in the next provincial election?

New Democrat Jenny Kwan, who spoke for the dissident group of 13 MLAs, refused on Tuesday to discuss labour’s role in the dispute within caucus.

She said some people – who she would not identify – approached “various labour leaders” to help find a way to resolve the differences within caucus.

“I was invited to meetings,” Ms. Kwan said, declining to elaborate. Labour leaders – which she also refused to identify – were among those at the meetings, Ms. Kwan said.

The labour leaders were trying to bridge a gap with people of differing points of view, Ms. Kwan said. She declined to say whether she thought the Steelworkers were backing the group of 13 caucus dissidents who were challenging Ms. James’s leadership. Mr. Sinclair on numerous occasions has been outspoken in his support of Ms. James.

Bob Simpson, who was kicked out of the NDP caucus after criticizing Ms. James, said asking about whether labour was playing a greater role in the BC NDP since the 2009 election was “a genuine question.”

He has not been privy to internal party conversations since his expulsion two months ago. But he was concerned about the perception that could be created of the party’s major donor influencing the direction of the party, he said.

Mr. Simpson said he believes both labour and business should be prohibited from contributing to political parties. He intends to issue a challenge later this week to all NDP leadership contenders to commit to fundamental election finance reform along the lines proposed on several occasions by Ms. James, he said. Ms. James has introduced a private members bill that would prohibit union and corporate contributions, place a cap on individual donations and provide for some public financing for elections.

Globe and Mail columnist Gary Mason earlier this week reported that dissident MLAs Doug Routley and Claire Trevena contacted officials in the labour movement. Mr. Sinclair then spoke to Ms. James’s office. As the labour leaders tried to bring the sides together, the dissident MLAs were with Mr. Hunt, of the steelworkers, at the union’s offices in Burnaby, while caucus supporters of Ms. James were with Mr. Sinclair.

The two unions were not taking sides in the dispute, according to one source within the labour movement. “It was two individuals from the labour movement trying to help two groups resolve their differences,” the source said.

Neither Mr. Sinclair nor Mr. Hunt responded Tuesday to a request for an interview. An NDP official said Tuesday the labour movement has guaranteed a $560,000 line of credit for the party, which has an outstanding debt of around $1-million from the 2009 provincial election.

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