Prince George labour activist Aaron Ekman is the B.C. Federation of Labour's new secretary-treasurer.
Ekman was elected to the position Thursday during the B.C. Fed's annual convention in Vancouver.
Running mate Amber Hockin fell short in her bid to become the organization's new president, losing to B.C. Teachers Federation past-president Irene Lanzinger by a count of 1,137 votes to 1,080. However, Ekman said he can work with Lanzinger.
"In labour, we have this thing where we debate things vigorously on the floor of the convention and sometimes we have disagreements but once the affiliates vote and we come to a consensus on an issue, we move forward united," Ekman said. "It's not a matter of there having been fundamental disagreement with Irene."
Ekman ran unopposed for most of a two-month campaign but there was a vote after a delegate from the floor also was nominated for the position.
As secretary-treasurer, he will be in charge of the B.C. Fed's finances.
"It's a matter of putting together budgets, reporting finances to the affiliates regularly and then there are some internal staff responsibilities on the management end, but it is a political position so it's also about decisions and you're chair of the finance committee," Ekman said.
Ekman was the founding president of the North Central Labour Council, which represents more than 12,000 union members across northern B.C., and was the regional coordinator with the B.C. Government and Services Employees Union prior to being elected.
Lanzinger is the first woman to become president of the B.C. Fed and at 2,200 delegates it was the largest convention in its history, Ekman noted.
He said expanding membership into new sectors will be a major issue.
"We have to reach out to beyond unionized workers and talk to unionized workers and ask them the question, 'what do you need from unions' and we've got to listen to them and we might have to have some conversations about the changes we need to make to ensure that a whole new generation of workers see themselves reflected in the movement," Ekman said.
The new job means he will be working out of the B.C. Fed's office in Vancouver. Ekman said his partner, Natalie Gidora, intends to continue practicing as a labour lawyer in Prince George.
"The majority of the time will be spent down south so for all intents and purposes it'll be a relocation but on the occasional weekend here and there, I'll try to make it back home and shovel the driveway," Ekman said.
