Donations from trade unions and fundraising events to the B.C. NDP party far exceeded corporate donations to the party this year.
Donations from trade unions surpassed $520,000 with the largest donation from the B.C. Federation of Labour at $137,500. Fundraising events brought in a net income of over $328,000 with several events grossing over $10,000 each.
The B.C. Federation of Labour, more commonly know as the B.C. Fed, was the largest donor to the B.C. NDP party this past year with donations totalling $137,500. The Federation represents over 500,000 B.C. workers in more than 50 affiliated unions according to their website.
Affiliated unions include the B.C. Teachers’ Federation, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
In 2005, B.C. Fed donated over $418,000 to the B.C NDP. In 2006, the B.C. Fed contributed just over $6,000 and in 2007 they donated over $21,000. Since 2005, the B.C. Fed has donated over $580,000 to the B.C. NDP.
The second largest donations to the B.C. NDP were from the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU) and the United Steel Workers (USW) Canada including USW District 3 as well as a number of USW locals.
The BCGEU donated over $74,000 to the B.C. NDP this past year. According to its website, the union represents over 65,000 individuals in over 550 bargaining units in direct government service and both the public and private sector.
In 2005, the BCGEU (staff development fund) donated over $212,000 to the B.C NDP followed by just over $10,000 in 2006. The union donated over $86,000 to the B.C. NDP in 2007. Since 2005, the BCGEU has donated over $380,000 to the party.
USW Canada, along with USW District 3 Western Canada and a number of locals, donated over $100,000 to the B.C. NDP this year. With a total of 250,000 union members across the country according to its website, USM Canada has 65,000 members located in the steel and mining industries, traditional sectors for the union. Members are also found working in a number of other areas including factories, hospitals, universities, hotels, bakeries and banks.
The B.C. NDP received over $122,000 from the USW in 2005 and over $4,000 in 2006. In 2007, the USW donated over $19,000 and since 2005, total donations exceed $250,000.
With donations totaling over $62,000 to the B.C. NDP this past year, the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union (COPE) Local 378 was another top donator to the B.C. NDP.
COPE Local 378 represents over 10,500 union members in public and private sector companies in British Columbia according to the union’s website. COPE Local 378 is also affiliated with the B.C. Federation of Labour as well as the Canadian Labour Congress and Provincial Labour Councils.
Donations from COPE Local 378 to the B.C. NDP exceeded $88,000 in 2005 and just under $7,000 in 2006. In 2007, donations to the party came in around $13,000 with donations since 2005 totaling $171,344.
The Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) Local 180 donated over $48,000 to the B.C. NDP this past year with donations since 2005 totaling $67,980.
Other top contributors to the B.C. NDP include the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM & AW) District 250 and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 38 each donating $10,000.
Another hefty chunk of the B.C. NDP’s funding came from fundraisers the party puts on in order to raise money for campaigning.
“All of the events are open to the public” and not just party members, said Jeff Fox, president of the BC NDP. He said 72 per cent of the party’s donations come from people who are not NDP members.
The money from the fundraisers is distributed 50/50 with 50 per cent of the funding going into the constituency that held the fundraiser and the other 50 per cent going to the provincial party.
Morgan J. Modjeski and Ashley Gaboury report for The Tyee.
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G West
4 years ago
WOW
Donations from trade unions and fundraising events to the B.C. NDP party far exceeded corporate donations to the party this year.
That's earth-shattering news.
What is interesting is how little the BC Liberals get from anyone besides their corporate partners.
Jeffrey J.
4 years ago
Workers vs Elites
The persistent conflation between unions and corporations as being 'equal' is one of the most successful, sleight-of-hand myths ever perpetrated by the mainstream media. Unions are a collective of thousands of people who work every day. Workers (and non-elites) represent over 80% of the population. Each dollar they earn is spent in the community.
Business and corporate elites own monopolies.They represent less than 20% of the population. They own about 70% of Canada's wealth. And they want more.
It's pretty basic logic that the majority of citizens deserve far more of the economic pie than they're getting. Unions donating to the NDP tells you exactly who the NDP will serve, just as corporate donations confirm who the Liberal's answer to.
Martin Campbell
4 years ago
This needs to stop.
There needs to be a limit on the amounts that individuals and business AND unions are allowed to donate to a political party.
With amounts this large all they are doing is buying favouritism.
I'd like to see a maximum amount per year per party to be $3,000.00 or less.
Unions especially should not be using union dues on donations to political parties UNLESS they start asking the employees who are paying the dues for permission prior to donating to any political party - they should also ask for a preference on which party they'd like to donate too.
These numbers, and the amounts also donated by businesses are embarrassing. No one but NO ONE spends this kind of money without expecting something in return, perhaps a happy ending? Politics for sale.
Lower the maximum to something that many average taxpayers can compete with and you'd find the politicians would be much more responsible and accountable to the public that votes for them - not just the people/firms with the biggest cheque book.
The parties would have less money from special interest groups, these losses could be partially made up for by increasing the amount each candidate is awarded for campaign costs.
Do we want our political system to resemble the USA? 'Cause that's where we're headed.
Baxman
4 years ago
Unions especially
Do the corporations and developers ever ask their share holders or employees who they should give their political donations? Not! I am quite certain that if a law was brought in to limit donations to a certain amount that these corporations would find a way to get that amount of money into the hands of individuals associated with the company. Say slip 5000 to each of the board of directors and the VPs etc. The company gets the deductions as an expense and the individuals have 2000 to pay their taxes and the other 3000 goes to the political party. The individuals get a tax deduction and the political party still gets the 100,000.
SharingIsGood
4 years ago
union donations - reality check
470,000 people make up the BC Federation of Labour. Total donations from all unions = $520,000. Some unions that belong to the BC Fed donated over and above the BC Fed donation. Some unions that donated probably do not belong to the BC Fed. But for argument's sake, let's just use the BC Fed members for some calculating.
2005-2009 total BC Fed donations:
$580,000 / 470,000 members = $1.23 per member for the entire four years!
This year's total Union Donations:
$520,000 / 470,000 BC FEd members = $1.11 per member of the BC Fed!
O boy, those are really big per person donations from the union members!
Anybody who says that unions are pushing their weight around too much do not understand how much more that big business pushes on a per capita basis.
Unions are entities that have formed to look after the needs of the workers. Union members just want to be fairly remunerated for the work that they do. Union members are not pullin in the 6, 7, 8, and even 9-figure salaries/earnings per year like just about every one of their employers (and corporate management) are making.
David Lewis
4 years ago
could you supply a figure for the corporate donations?
"Donations from trade unions and fundraising events to the B.C. NDP party far exceeded corporate donations to the party this year"
What this is news? A surprise? Bay Street didn't take up a special collection to help Carole James take over B.C.? Those jerks. Don't they realize that the NDP has their interests at heart?