B.C.'s public service workers have voted to authorize a strike, according to an announcement by the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) on Friday, Aug. 29.
BCGEU President Paul Finch said 92.7 per cent of workers voted in favour of authorization, and 86.4 per cent of eligible members voted.
"The emphatic strike result reflects the seriousness of the affordability crisis that our members are facing, and the need for fair wages to address that crisis," Finch said in announcing the strike authorization at a press conference in Burnaby.
The union plans to issue a 72-hour strike notice on Friday afternoon for action taking effect 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday.
Professional Employees' Association (PEA) members have also voted to authorize a strike and will be issuing a 72-hour strike notice alongside the BCGEU.
Mike Farnworth, the B.C. government house leader and acting deputy premier, gave assurances on Friday afternoon that an essential worker agreement in place mandates for services that protect the health, safety and welfare of British Columbians to continue.
Farnworth refused to provide further details on the government's position, saying repeatedly that "negotiations take place at the bargaining table, they're not done by press conference or in public."
On July 18, Finch declared an impasse in negotiations on the next collective agreement for the roughly 34,000 members of the public service bargaining unit. This includes workers ranging from conservation officers to B.C. Liquor Store employees to social workers.
The PEA represents roughly 1,800 provincial government workers in roles such as geoscientists, foresters, engineers and psychologists.
"Our members are asking for fair, competitive wages that reflect the value of their work, wages that will keep knowledgeable experts in their jobs," said Melissa Moroz, PEA's executive director and lead negotiator.
The last collective agreements for each expired at the end of March, and the two sides have been far apart on the next wage increase. It was revealed by the BCGEU earlier this summer that the government offered a two-year deal with a combined 3.5 per cent pay increase, while the union countered with four per cent in year one, followed by 4.25 per cent in year two.
Moroz said PEA's counter was "comparable" to BCGEU's.
Other public service unions, including the Hospital Employees' Union and the B.C. Nurses' Union, are also in negotiations and have received similar wage offers from the government. In total, more than 450,000 public sector workers are currently renegotiating agreements.
Whatever wage increase one bargaining unit gets, the others generally get the same. Finch said representatives from several other of these unions were in the room for the strike authorization announcement.
The previous agreement was struck in 2022 during a period of pandemic-induced high inflation and gave workers a more than 14-per-cent raise over three years. That deal was reached after workers authorized a strike.
Limited job action took place, with workers from the liquor distribution branch walking off the job and picketing.
It has yet to be revealed what kind of job action the union is planning this time around, but the sides have a deal in place for some types of workers to be considered essential and kept from striking.
More to come.
