FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 2, 2025

The following release was originally issued on November 28, 2025.

CORRECTION: B.C. dairy milk testers on strike

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) - Dairy milk testers, also known as dairy production technicians (DPTs), employed in British Columbia by nationwide dairy testing provider Lactanet have commenced job action as of November 25, 2025. The workers, who are unionized with the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU), served 72-hour strike notice on November 21, 2025. This job action follows 20 months of bargaining and the employer's refusal to fairly compensate workers for the cost of doing their jobs.

"These workers are demanding that Lactanet reconsider how it's using the fees it charges farmers for testing and cover the actual current-day costs of travelling to farms to gather samples," said BCGEU treasurer Maria Middlemiss. "After 26 months without a contract, these workers can no longer afford to continue in this way."

The workers, who collect samples of dairy milk produced by about 175 herds across the province for testing at the Lactanet lab in Chilliwack, are seeking increases to mileage compensation that cover costs of driving their personal trucks and SUVs to farms, sometimes located up to 100 kilometers away from their home base. Costs include fuel, business-type insurance, tires, maintenance, depreciation and repairs.

Lactanet milk testers in B.C. are currently paid $0.41 per kilometer. In comparison, the Canada Revenue Agency uses $0.72 per kilometer for work travel using personal vehicles.

Farmers using Lactanet services rely on milk testers to obtain data regarding the composition of their milk. This data is useful to farmers as it allows them to make any necessary adjustments to their components and manage somatic cell count to maximize quality and profit.

With the withdrawal of the milk testers' labour, farmers will not receive the data needed to prove the quality of their milk to the BC Milk Board, who determines how much the milk is worth and how much revenue the farmers receive.

"This work stoppage was a tough decision for us because we're passionate about the dairy industry and we're dedicated to the farmers," said Jack van Dongen, milk tester, former dairy farmer and chair of the workers' bargaining committee. "Many of us milk testers work second jobs to make ends meet. We're not trying to get rich doing this job, but it's not reasonable or sustainable for us to pay out-of-pocket for travel expenses, especially since that's not the industry norm."

The milk testers remain dedicated to reaching an agreement and are calling on Lactanet to return to the bargaining table with an offer that covers their costs and respects the farmers and the industry it serves.

"Dairy farmers need these tests, and their milk testers. The B.C. dairy industry deserves a sustainable testing service, and that means accounting for the actual costs of business. Balancing finances on the backs of workers is not a way to help the dairy industry thrive," said Middlemiss.

On November 18, 2025, B.C. Lactanet testers voted 89% per cent in favour of strike action and have been working without a contract since September 30, 2023.

The workers are unionized with the BCGEU, one of the largest unions in British Columbia, with over 90,000 members in almost every community and economic sector.

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For more information, contact BCGEU Communications ([email protected]) or call 604-291-9611.

UWU/MoveUP