The 2016 British Columbia Federation of Labour convention kicked off Monday in Vancouver with a with a blistering speech by president Irene Lanzinger that took sharp aim at Christy Clark and the provincial government.

"We can't afford four more years of Christy making life easier for her powerful friends and harder for the rest of us," said Lanzinger. "We urgently need change in Victoria."

Delegates on the opening day of the B.C. Federation of Labour 2016 convention. (CBC)

The next provincial election is May 9, 2017.

Lanziger addressed 1,500 cheering delegates on a wide range of topics — among them, worker safety, a chronically low minimum wage, lack of affordable daycare and systematic barriers faced by women.

'She's failing families'

"We have a woman premier. You'd think she'd take leadership to address disparities, discrimination and injustice," said Lanzinger. "But that's simply not the case. She's doing the opposite."

"She's failing women. She's failing families. She's failing our communities."

Delegates were reminded a fundamental value of the labour movement is that "if you work full-time, you shouldn't live in poverty."

The B.C. Federation of Labour has launched a high profile "Fight for $15" campaign aimed at raising the minimum wage in the province from $10.85 per hour to $15.

"We have a government in B.C. that's not on our side, that doesn't care about working people," said Lanzinger. "We have a premier who puts the interests of the rich and powerful first and the needs of ordinary people last."

NDP leader John Horgan is scheduled to address the convention Tuesday.