Premier David Eby has issued the following statement in recognition of International Workers’ Day:

“Working people are the backbone of every community and our province. Today, on International Workers’ Day, we honour workers in British Columbia and celebrate the accomplishments of the labour movement around the world.

“The labour movement is responsible for many of the cherished rights that workers enjoy today – from overtime pay to parental leave, and minimum wage to workplace safety standards. Canada’s working people have benefited from the advocacy and action of generations of labour leaders and organizers.

“Workers continue to face many challenges today, including finding the time and money to upgrade their skills, finding an affordable place to live close to where they work and earning enough to keep up with the rising cost of living due to global inflation.

“Our government is taking action to address these challenges. We have made education and training more accessible, affordable and relevant to help people prepare for the jobs of today and tomorrow. We are rapidly building more middle-class housing for the people who keep our economy and our communities running. We have protected workers by giving them paid sick leave and making it easier for them to join a union.

“And, on June 1, 2024, we are increasing B.C.’s minimum wage to $17.40 per hour, still the highest of all the provinces.

“As we mark International Workers’ Day, I thank the hard-working people of British Columbia, and I honour your commitment and dedication to building our province now and into the future.”

Harry Bains, Minister of Labour, said:

“On International Workers’ Day, we celebrate workers in B.C. and around the world, and reflect on the important accomplishments of the labour movement in advocating for working people.

“We stand in solidarity with workers in British Columbia. Together, we are building a province where people want to live, work and raise families.

“Our government continues to take meaningful steps to support workers in our province.

“From new rules for asbestos safety to ensuring our lowest-paid workers don’t fall further behind and to being the only province to bring in five-days paid sick leave, we’re committed to making life better for workers.”