Today, workers at Cartems Donuts became UFCW 1518’s newest members. Cartems workers join the British Columbia staff at Point Blank Creative in becoming the first workers in the province to win their union through electronic voting. In a historic decision, the British Columbia Labour Relations Board (LRB) ruled that workers can vote to join a union electronically in addition to in-person voting and mail-in ballots. This decision marks a powerful step forward in the labour movement, as it will make it easier for young, vulnerable, and gig workers to join unions. The electronic voting experience is much closer to a traditional in-person vote as it happens in a timely window after the workers apply to the LRB to hold a vote. The workers only need to wait 5 days to vote rather than waiting several months to have their voices heard. During COVID-19, the ability to vote electronically became even more important as the union sought ways to organize workers while maintaining physical distancing. “The decision to allow electronic union certification is historic,” said UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak. “Workers are building power during COVID-19 because they know how essential they are in our communities. Being able to welcome them to our union through electronic voting is an exciting step towards a new future where every worker can have a strong voice at work.” Workers at Point Blank voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining UFCW 1518. Members at Point Blank shared their excitement at joining the union on social media, posting that “if COVID, precarious work, the gig economy, automation, and climate change have taught us one thing it’s that organized labour has never been more important in this country.” Workers at Cartems also voted to join UFCW 1518 by a landslide, and were excited to help make Cartems an even better place to work. Cartems donuts has been serving hand-made donuts to Vancouverites for nearly a decade. They are known for their fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and quirky donut offerings. Point Blank Creative is a full-service creative agency that specializes in grassroots engagement, advertising, and digital campaigns for progressive causes. They have a long history of helping organizations to create change. UFCW 1518 has a strong track record of working collaboratively with locally-owned small businesses to support their success in the communities in which they operate while also providing strong representation for workers. We look forward to building a productive working relationship with Cartems and Point Blank and negotiating a strong first contract for the workers. Welcome to your union!