The BCRCAT is a legal and a voluntary forum in the private sector made up of one or more registered trade unions as well; on the other hand; one or more registered employer organizations. The primary purpose of the BCRCAT is to provide a structure where representative trade unions and employers in the sector can bargain over the terms and conditions of employment (an example is wages, hours of work, time off etc), matters of mutual interest and formulation of industrial policy. The council has jurisdiction over a defined sector and the precise scope of the council is set out in the constitution of the council.