Click here for info on Bargaining 2025

  1. News - BC General Employees' Union
  2. BCGEU Escalates Job Action to Liquor & Cannabis Warehouses, LDB Head Office, and Key Ministry Worksites in Victoria, Burnaby, and Vancouver - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

BCGEU Escalates Job Action to Liquor & Cannabis Warehouses, LDB Head Office, and Key Ministry Worksites in Victoria, Burnaby, and Vancouver - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU)

Published on September 22, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 22, 2025 

BCGEU Escalates Job Action to Liquor & Cannabis Warehouses, LDB Head Office, and Key Ministry Worksites in Victoria, Burnaby, and Vancouver

BURNABY, B.C. – Public service workers across B.C. are ramping up strike action this week after the provincial government once again refused to return to the bargaining table with a fair wage mandate.

Until now, BCGEU members have focused job action on core government operations in an effort to avoid disrupting the public. But government's continued refusal to negotiate has left workers no choice but to escalate sharply.

As of today, the BC LDB (Liquor Distribution Branch) Liquor and Cannabis warehouses and head office, along with five additional ministry worksites in Victoria and Vancouver, are on strike. In total, more than 10,000 public service workers are now engaged in job action at 36 sites across the province, including 28 active picket lines. Escalations will continue throughout the week.

Newly impacted worksites include:

  • 2219 Government , Victoria - on strike as of 7 a.m. - picketing at 675 Belleville.
  • 800 Johnson, Victoria - Strike begins 7:30 a.m. - picketing at 675 Belleville.
  • 835 Humboldt St, Victoria – Strike begins at 7:30 a.m. 
  • 3383 Gilmore, Burnaby – Strike begins at 8 a.m.
  • 4940 Canada Way, Burnaby - Strike begins 8 a.m. - picketing at 3383 Gilmore, Burnaby
  • 815 Hornby, Vancouver - Strike begins 8 a.m.
  • 605 Robson St, Vancouver - Strike begins 8 a.m.
  • 7003 72 St., Delta – On strike as of 9:30am 
  • 3389 No 6 Rd, Richmond – on strike as of morning shift change 
  • 9881 Dallas Drive, Kamloops – on strike as of morning shift change 

"Up to now, we've focused job action on government operations while minimizing disruptions for the public," said Paul Finch, BCGEU president and chair of the public service bargaining committee. "But with government refusing to come back to the table, we're left with no choice. Public service workers cannot keep falling further behind. Government's low offer is essentially telling British Columbians to expect cuts to the services they depend on. We will continue escalating until government brings a fair wage mandate. The next move is theirs."

Key Facts:

  • Government's current wage offer of 3.5% is well below B.C.'s projected 4.9% inflation rate.
  • Since 2016, wages in B.C. have risen 40.6%, while public service workers' pay has only increased 27.2%-a 13.4-point gap.
  • Without fair wages, government risks losing the very workers who deliver essential services: wildfire fighters, social workers, sheriffs, court clerks, frontline administrative professionals and many more.

BCGEU members deliver the services that keep communities safe, support economic growth, and maintain critical government programs. Unless government comes back to the table with a serious wage offer, job action will continue to escalate.

-30-

For more information, contact BCGEU Communications:

Nadja Komnenic: [email protected] | 604.442.2289
Backgrounder: https://www.bargainingbc.ca/public_service



UWU/MoveUP