Join
LiUNA 1611
Join a union and feel the power at work! LiUNA 1611 members enjoy higher wages, more benefits, stronger job security, and a better work/life balance.
What is a Union?
Simply put, a union is workers uniting to achieve a common cause together. This cause can be anything, including: improving wages, fair scheduling, ensuring respectful treatment in the workplace, combatting racial discrimination, health & safety concerns, or anything else! Anything that is in connection to your work can be addressed once you & your co-workers unionize.
LiUNA Local 1611 is the name of the union that other workers like you have come together to build. Unions are not a corporation & are not motivated by profit or making money. LiUNA is a democratic organization where members vote to decide the organization’s priorities, and then the staff get to work making them happen. Union members are in charge of their union and your involvement is encouraged.
Members have access to professional support to deal with workplace issues, free training courses, and, if negotiated, our union-run medical and pension plans. In addition, construction workers gain access to our dispatch department to put you to work on various sites.
How to form a Union
Forming a union is a worker’s legal right under Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and there is a legal process that workers must follow to do so. That process looks like this:
Get in touch with an organizer
The first step is to get in touch with a union organizer! Your organizer will work with you on a winning strategy, answer your questions, and address any concerns. Think of them as your all around support throughout the process.
Sign a
union card
A majority of workers must sign a confidential union card to advance the process. Signing a union card is like signing a petition. The more people who sign, the more powerful your demands for change will be.
File for union certification
a) If 45-55% of the workforce have signed on, the Labour Board will conduct an election.
b) If over 55% of the workforce signed up, there is no need for a certification vote, and workers move on to bargaining.
Who Does LiUNA 1611 Represent?
The Labourers International Union of North America (LiUNA) Local 1611 has over 9000 members in BC and Yukon, and across North America, LiUNA’s membership is over half a million. Our members work in construction, services sectors, warehousing, retail, recycling & waste management, healthcare, green energy & beyond.
If you work, then you’re a Labourer, and LiUNA is the Labourers’ union that has the experience, resources and determination to assist you in improving your working life by unionizing.
LiUNA 1611 Members Work at:
LiUNA 1611 Members Work at:
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam pretium velit quis massa pulvinar bibendum.”
John Doe
Job @ Workplace
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam pretium velit quis massa pulvinar bibendum.”
John Doe
Job @ Workplace
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Aliquam pretium velit quis massa pulvinar bibendum.”
John Doe
Job @ Workplace
Frequently Asked Questions
A group of your co-workers contacted LiUNA 1611 for assistance in gaining the power of unionization.
With a union, workers gain 50% of the decision-making power, making you an equal partner in deciding how your jobs function each day by negotiating all of your working conditions (wages, vacation scheduling, health benefits coverage, etc.).
Unions are member-run democratic non-profits who’s sole purpose is to improve their members jobs and standard of living. Becoming unionized, means you gain the ability to negotiate with your employer as stronger group of workers over individually (without a union).
You as a union member are in complete control of your union. You decide what your union tries to negotiate with your employer and all changes must be voted on and accepted before they take affect.
The main role of LiUNA 1611 is to negotiate a collective agreement with your employer and enforce your rights, but there are also a variety of other benefits that your membership with LiUNA will provide you, as we try to support our members and their families.
- Scholarships for you and your family members
- Training opportunities to advance your career
- Support for WorkSafeBC-WCB Appeals
- Member and Family Assistance
- Addiction Assistance
- Union Savings Discount Program
- If laid off, assistance with alternative employment through our hire hall.
- Community involvement through the Labourers Union Charity Fund.
Workers are the only ones who can decide whether to unionize. You have the legal right to freely choose to unionize without being intimidated by your company owners and management.
Yes, there are various ways that unionizing will help the company. However, it may take some time for owners and management to accept this. Below are a few examples of how unionization will help you and your company:
- LiUNA operates a multi-million dollar health benefits trust that can provide excellent health benefits to workers at a lower cost to your employer.
- Free training to members that benefit you and your company LiUNA, Training Plus
- Assistance with reducing turnover and training costs. Workers rarely quit good jobs; union jobs are good jobs.
No. It is illegal for employers to fire workers for trying to join a union. Under the BC Labour Relations Code, all workers have the right to join a union without fear of reprisals from their employer. If you are worried about retaliation from your employer, know that we will have your back.
No, your employer will never be informed who has signed a union card unless you share that information.
The only other party that LiUNA will be informed that you signed a union card is the BC Labour Relations Board (Government), which also keeps this information confidential and is responsible for overseeing the legal process of workers unionizing their workplaces.
Yes, once a majority of the workers at your company vote to accept their first collective agreement, they will be required to pay union dues.
LiUNA 1611 is not profit-driven like businesses. We are a non-profit organization, and all the money we collect from our members in union dues is spent on representing them. It’s still your money that is managed by your elected executive board.
To try and keep dues as low as possible for our members, dues are structured with a flat monthly fee of $35/month and working dues that you only pay while you are working.
Your working dues will be $0.30/hour, so expect to pay about $20 per week on union dues.
All dues are 100% tax-deductible, so they cost you even less!
Some of the union advantages that all workers gain with unionizing are just cause protection and union representation.
If a worker is not doing their job, having a union will force a company to let them know their job is in jeopardy if they don’t improve. Unions don’t protect lazy workers; lazy managers protect lazy workers.
The Union Advantage
On average, unionized workers earned $5.12/hour more than non-union employees. And for women in unions, who are traditionally paid less by non-union corporations, you earn roughly $6.91/hour more. This ensures that all workers doing the same work, regardless of their gender identity, are being paid fairly.
Local 1611 strives to negotiate Collective Agreements that provide a fair wage and guaranteed, pre-negotiated raises. You’ll never have to ask for a raise again, eliminating favouritism and managerial discrimination. This advantage extends: – Youth: Earn $3.16/hour more when you unionize. – Indigenous People: Earn $6.51/hour more when you unionize. – New Immigrants: Earn $3.97/hour more when you unionize.
When workers unionize, they gain the power to negotiate with their employer collectively instead of individually. Collectively you can negotiate better wages, health and retirement benefits, fair work schedules, job security and overall improved workplace conditions.
LiUNA members also have a support network made up of Union Reps, Stewards, WCB Advocates, and Lawyers to help protect and ensure your fair treatment.
Many non-union workers are scared to point out safety concerns in the workplace as they are fearful of discipline or being labelled as troublemakers. This isn’t a concern in unionized workplaces, which is why unionized workplaces are safer.
Unionized workers have a 25% lower rate of injury. With a union, workers can hold their employer accountable for their safety in the workplace without any fear of being punished.
If a LiUNA member does get injured at work, you’ll have access to a WCB Advocate that will help you through the process of getting compensation.
Covered members and their dependents have health benefits such as extended healthcare, dental care, drug coverage, and life insurance. Members can also negotiate a pension plan or RRSP match into their collective agreement, depending on their priorities. These benefits can’t be changed without workers’ approval, unlike in a non-unionized workplace.
Forming a union is a worker’s best way to get job security. Unionizing removes the employer’s ability to terminate workers without just cause and creates a dispute resolution process that promotes a fair and respectful work environment.
On average, unionized workers earned $5.12/hour more than non-union employees. And for women in unions, who are traditionally paid less by non-union corporations, you earn roughly $6.91/hour more. This ensures that all workers doing the same work, regardless of their gender identity, are being paid fairly.
Take control of your future with LiUNA! 1611
Sign up now to unite with your co-workers and gain the support of LiUNA 1611 and our over 10,000 members in BC.
Questions? Call/Text Oscar at 604-340-6094
Join your co-workers by signing this confidential union card