Prior to the formation of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour (NBFL), the legislative work of the Labour Movement in New Brunswick was carried on by a legislative committee named by the biennial conventions of the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada. The NBFL was organized in 1913 when Mr. James L. Sugrue of Saint John and Mr. Neil Savage of Moncton were elected President and Secretary-Treasurer respectively. The January 20th, 1914 convention passed the following motion:

"On motion the President and Secretary-Treasurer were empowered to procure a charter from the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada".

For two years, semi-annual meetings were held in January and July, and since then regular annual conventions have been held. The NBFL is composed of organized workers within the Province, having representatives attending its conventions from almost every community in New Brunswick where a Labour Organization exists.

The NBFL is now Labour's central voice in New Brunswick. The Federation invites workers to join together to ensure a fair workplace by bargaining collectively their:

• wages and benefits,

• pensions,

• holidays and vacations,

• health and safety rules,

• hours of work, and

• working conditions.

It is the NBFL's role to build solidarity and mutual support between unions.