Some Prince George forestry, railway and media workers could soon be part of Canada's largest private sector union.
Talks between the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) and the Canadian Autoworkers Union (CAW) have progressed enough that leadership of both organizations are recommending they join forces to form a new union.
Two CEP locals currently represent forestry workers in Prince George and another local represents workers at the Prince George Citizen. CAW locals also represent workers at Canadian National Railway.
Each local will send representatives to their union's respective conventions, where votes will be held on a resolution to create the new union. The CAW will hold its meeting in Toronto from Aug. 20-24 and the CEP will meet from Oct. 14 to 17 in Quebec City.
CEP national president Dave Coles is optimistic the workers will vote in favour of creating the new union, which would represent more than 300,000 workers -- including 28,000 in B.C. -- in myriad sectors.
"I'm quite confident we'll be successful," he said. "The members get their say always and they're never wrong."
The two unions released a joint report on Wednesday identifying the reasons they believe joining forces is the right thing to do. They cite the recent economic downturn, which led to layoffs and the loss of pensions for some workers, as well as the antagonistic position the federal government has taken towards organized labour.
Coles emphasized the joining of the two unions isn't a merger in the traditional sense - it's the creation of an entirely new entity.
"I've worked through many mergers and it's usually about taking two organizations and trying to dovetail their cultures together," Coles said. "When [CAW president Ken Lewenza] and I started this project, we said that wouldn't work. The CEP has institutional arrogance: We're the best; obviously the autoworkers are they same - [they believe] they're the best."
If it passes, the new union will have regional structures, including one for British Columbia. There will also be national councils based on each employment sector the union will represent. CEP western region vice-president Jim Britton said that will provide protection for smaller locals.
"I think the new structure gives locals, even the smaller locals, more of an opportunity to be involved than they have today," he said.
The name of the proposed new union has yet to be determined.
