Monday, December 2, 2024 Stay in Your Lane Those who venture out of their proper area of engagement are not only annoying, they pose a risk to the rights, freedoms, and beliefs of others Guide magazine By Wayne Prins, Executive Director Do you remember the first time you drove a car on a road? I sure do. It was only days after my 14th birthday. My dad drove me into town where I wrote and passed my learner’s driving license test. Brimming with confidence, I asked if I could drive home. Dad wisely refused to let me drive through town on day one, but when we got to the final few kilometres of the road to home, he pulled over and let me take the driver’s seat. Having grown up driving tractors and other vehicles around the farm, I felt comfortable with my hands on the steering wheel, and I didn’t need instruction on how to put the vehicle in drive and accelerate down the road. So far, so good. But as I gained speed, I remember the difficulty I had driving in a straight line down the centre of my lane. As a new driver I had little sense of where my tires actually were. Now, with decades of experience, staying in my lane is second nature. Stay in your lane isn’t just a driving term. It’s also a figure of speech used to rebuke those who venture out of their proper area of engagement. What do you say when your neighbour tells you what to do with your yard? How do you react when a corporation tells you how to vote in an election? How do you feel when a celebrity lectures you about climate change? I’m often surprised by how tolerant many people are of others veering out of their lane. Personally, I must admit that it bothers me a lot. Having worked at CLAC for over 20 years, I’m particularly bothered by unions that veer out of their lane. Unions exist to serve workers in their workplace and to advance the interests of workers through good public policy, education, and stakeholder engagement. In my view, it is not a union’s job to protest contentious geopolitical conflicts or be engaged obsessively in social and political activism. Union leaders should spend their time and energy advancing the work-related interests of their members and none of their time interfering with the rights, freedoms, and beliefs of others. In other words, they should stay in their lane. Christmas is coming, and the mood is getting festive. It’s a wonderful time of year, and there’s always a lot of excitement for the holiday season. But I also want to acknowledge that it’s been a difficult year for many. Many members have struggled with a downturn in certain sectors of the economy, and affordability issues mean smaller celebrations for many families this year. As we look ahead to the new year, I offer you my assurance that CLAC’s focus is firmly in our lane, relentlessly working to optimize opportunities for you, our members, and to make your experience of work as positive and rewarding as possible. On behalf of myself, my family, and all my colleagues at CLAC, I wish you a very Merry Christmas season and every success in 2025! You might be interested in Define Your Role to Define Your Success 14 Feb 2025 Maplecrest Employees Secure Retroactive Wage Increases with New Two-Year Contract 13 Feb 2025 Liftsafe Engineering Employees Overwhelmingly Ratify New Agreement 11 Feb 2025 School Bus Drivers In Fort Nelson, BC, Unanimously Ratify New Contract 11 Feb 2025