CMAW Celebrates 20 Years!
On July 7, 1999, Union Members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA) traveled to Port Alberni to meet with UBCJA`s General President. The UBCJA members from British Columbia had two questions for the General President – #1 Do members have a right to vote on the proposed merger of their local union and creation of the regional council? #2 Do members have a right to elect the founding delegates and officers of the regional council? When the UBCJA General President was asked these two questions early into the meeting, he stood up and said the answer to both questions was No. The members present realized they in an undemocratic union and the lights went out, everyone exited the meeting and left the UBCJA General President and his entourage in the dark.
Over the next five years many of British Columbia`s UBCJA members fought to gain independence and the Construction Maintenance and Allied Workers (CMAW) was formed. Today we celebrate our 20th year as a successful, diverse independent Canadian union, congratulations to our members we could not have done it without you.
