Kelowna Accord – Joy Langan, BC Federation of Labour

Joy Langan (BC Federation of Labour) [00:00:01] A lot of unions who we had hoped to deliver were concerned they wouldn’t be able to deliver, and we were ready to go into the next phase. And some of the unions that subsequently trashed all over Solidarity, the Op. Sol., were unions we were afraid were not going to be able to deliver by virtue of the kinds of reports we were getting. So Jack was asked to go to Kelowna. And, by everybody.

 [00:00:37] I was, I lived not too far from Jack Munro at the time, and were waiting for a call to come into a meeting and I called Jack’s place and said, “Why don’t you come over here for coffee?” He anguished the whole morning about whether he should go or shouldn’t go.

Tom McGrath [00:00:54] This is..

Joy Langan [00:00:55] This is to go up to Kelowna. Sorry, I’m taking you, moving you ahead.

 [00:00:59] And. And was getting endless phone calls from people saying, “Please go, please go.” The mistake I think was made, my, my statement was, “Don’t go alone.” Well, Gerry Scott was going, he was a staff person.

Tom McGrath [00:01:16] Right.

Joy Langan [00:01:18] I think that was a mistake. It should’ve been another officer. What it would have meant, I guess, was two people carry the can instead of one. Final negotiations, regardless of the outcome, he was there on behalf of all of us. He was in constant telephone touch. We gathered at the boardroom in the BCGEU, the whole Op. Sol. leadership including Renate, who was there representing the Coalition, and we were in constant communication. When a final conclusion, I mean, you get what you get. Certainly Jack Munro is a negotiator who knows what the limits are and when you, when you’re not going to go any further. The group agrees, it’s finalized, and then conveniently, a whole bunch of people forgot that they were part of that decision. And then suddenly, Jack Munro became the scapegoat. Including the BCGEU, [indistinguishable] following the convention. And so, I guess that’s the part of history that bothers me most, is that so many people that I worked with day in and day out suddenly forgot their role in the decision. BCGEU had a collective agreement. Our concern was, at that point, they may not be able to keep people out.

 [00:02:44] And I was incensed at the time by, by just the 180 degree turn. I went with Renate and Leif Hansen to the Coalition office and reported the terms of the settlement. Sat there for four hours.

Tom McGrath [00:03:04] This is Sunday night.

Joy Langan [00:03:06] Yeah. And was abused. Understood people’s anger, frustration, et cetera. I was willing, you know, I said I’m willing to sit there and do that. You know, I know these groups, and I was concerned about getting somebody who’s particularly hard nosed. Who isn’t used together with community groups, who are quite different than the sort of discipline of the labour movement.

 [00:03:33] It was… it was very painful.