Union stewards: workplace problem-solvers

Name: Amarjit Sandhu

Occupation: Community Support Worker

Union: BCGEU

For Amarjit Sandhu, the most important advantage of union membership is job security, fairness, and respect in the workplace. Amarjit is a community support worker who works at both Semiahmoo House Society and Millieu Family Services in South Surrey. Amarjit has been a member of BCGEU for 20 years, and has recently decided to serve as shop steward in her workplace.

Amarjit appreciates the significance of this position, as it gives her the ability to assist her fellow workers when issues arise. “As a shop steward my role is to help people, and I really enjoy that,” she says. “It also enables me to learn from people.”

Stewards (workplace leaders who help solve problems) are also able to speak on behalf of their coworkers to address issues that are critical in their workplace. Perhaps the main difference between union and non-union workplaces is having a collective agreement. In non-union workplaces, employees are at the whim of their employer who change terms and conditions of employment as they see fit. Amarjit says that in a unionized workplace, workers have a legally-binding contract which guarantees addresses issues like wages and benefits.

Collective agreements give union workers rights and protections that are not available to other workers. “Having a collective agreement is important so that both the employer and employee are bound to things like seniority provisions, vacation, and health and safety. It’s all very clearly laid out in black and white,” says Amarjit.

Thousands of workers in a wide range of occupations have taken the important first step to improving their working conditions and strengthening their collective voice by joining B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU). Workers join the BCGEU for different reasons. Many workers want to make their workplace better by improving workplace health and safety, and ensuring wage equity, health and welfare benefits, and fairness.

Amarjit says that union members enjoy better wages, better benefits and increased job security. For Amarjit, one of the biggest benefits of union membership is having a collective voice within your workplace. “Working in a unionized environment empowers workers and gives them the right to speak up for themselves. It gives them the ability to exercise their rights so that they have a voice,” says Amarjit.