Ways that workplace literacy programs can be made to work and the circumstances or forces that promote or hinder them are discussed, based on experiences in Vancouver, British Columbia, where 26 percent of the population is minority and 20 percent of the 8,000 city employees speak English as a Second Language. The story documented in this report is drawn from information from the equal employment opportunities (EEO) officer and the chief teacher in the Municipal Workplace Language Training Program. The city's model workplace literacy program fits into the Vancouver EEO mandate. The needs assessment, recruitment, and program implementation processes are described. The successful collaboration with the Canadian Union of Public Employees is also discussed. Contains 5 references. (LB)