Joey Hartman Interview: Championing Equity and Solidarity

This interview with Joey Hartman covers her extensive history as an activist and labour leader in British Columbia. Joey discusses her upbringing in Vancouver and her early work experiences in early childhood education. A particularly formative experience was the mentorship she received when she was working at RayCam, a daycare affiliated with the Raymur housing project. Joey learned about politics, oppression, social justice, and direct action, which informed the rest of her career. Later, Joey became involved with the Vancouver Municipal and Regional Employees Union (VMREU) and participated in a major 14-week strike in 1981 that focused on pay equity issues.

Joey goes on to discuss her work with the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) during a difficult period when the provincial government tore up hospital contracts and massively privatized services. She played a key role in re-organizing the privatized workers and helping the union recover. She also talks about her time as president of the Vancouver and District Labour Council, and her involvement with the BC Labour Heritage Center, the Council of Canadians, the SFU Labour Studies Program, and Vancouver Community College.

Throughout the interview, Joey emphasizes the importance of mentoring and supporting other women in the labor movement, as well as the need to recognize the value of all workers, regardless of their job title or status. She reflects on her decades of activism and the key role that the labor movement has played in her life.