MEDIA STATEMENT 

April 24, 2025 

BCGEU calls on B.C. and Canadian governments to address cuts and support post-secondary institutions

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – As one of the largest unions in B.C., with over 95,000 members including 4,100 post-secondary workers who will begin bargaining with the province in a couple months, the president of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) Paul Finch echoes fellow unions and allied organizations across the country with the following statement:

Now more than ever, B.C. and Canada need a robust and forward-looking economic development plan, including a workforce plan with post-secondary education at its core. Yet we're seeing the post-secondary sector being decimated from chronic underfunding, failure of government to review its outdated funding formula, and recent federal changes to immigration and international students.

Both our provincial and federal governments can do something about this now: complete the provincial funding formula review started in 2022, increase the proportion of public funding to total operating revenue of B.C. post-secondary institutions, work together on a Team Canada plan to secure additional post-secondary funding, and support B.C. post-secondary institutions to think creatively beyond layoffs to ensure fiscally responsible delivery of quality training and education.

As part of our union's response to the B.C. budget, the BCGEU is calling on the government to create and implement a robust and forward-looking economic development plan. This plan must meet the province's workforce and education needs, focusing on the workers that directly deliver services in both urban and rural communities, and examine the ratio of excluded management to front-line worker jobs. Such a plan will help the people of British Columbia today navigate uncertainty and survive economic downturns and ensure we are maximizing the value of our province's wealth for everyone.

We look forward to our ongoing work with Anne Kang, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, and our soon-to-be-elected federal government.

The BCGEU represents about 4,100 workers, including 1,244 vocational instructors and 2,927 support staff, at post-secondary institutions across the province. In 2025, these workers will begin negotiations of their next collective agreements with the provincial government via the Post-Secondary Employers' Association (PSEA).

The BCGEU is one of the largest unions in British Columbia, with over 95,000 members in almost every community and economic sector.

For interviews, please contact BCGEU Communications at [email protected].

UWU/MoveUP