Labour council vice-president now president

Reaching out to local unions is one of the top goals for the new president of the North Okanagan Labour Council.

Ian Gordon was elected at the NOLC’s annual general meeting Wednesday in Kelowna.

Representing school district workers as a member of CUPE, Gordon was a vice-president of the council last year.

“I’m honoured to serve,” said Gordon. “I look forward to reaching out to local unions and helping with their campaigns and working on some of our own.”

Gordon also wants to see the council get more involved with community groups and their campaigns. The United Way is one such organization the NOLC has long been involved with.

Two of the NOLC’s major undertakings this year will be the annual Day of Mourning ceremony on April 28 and the Labour Day picnic.

The council and WorkSafeBC host a Day of Mourning ceremony in Ben Lee Park to remember workers who have been killed or injured on the job. NOLC delegates on Wednesday also encouraged the council to get involved in ceremonies in Vernon.

The Labour Day picnic in Mission Creek Regional Park has been a huge success the past few years, drawing hundreds of people.

The NOLC also works locally on campaigns and lobby efforts by the Canadian Labour Congress. In the past, the CLC successfully pushed for improvements to the Canada Pension Plan, and it is now campaigning for a national pharmacare program.

Also elected to the new executive were Ronn Dunn, Carmen Belanger, Shane Curveon, Louise Gibson, Karen Abramsen, Helen Repole and Wynn Hartfelder. The new officers were sworn in toward the end of the meeting.

Two longtime executive members stepped down — outgoing president Nikki Zohner and retiring secretary-treasurer Ron Bobowski.

The NOLC meets on the first Wednesday of every month. The next meeting is March 7 at the BCGEU office on Borden Avenue in Kelowna.