FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETuesday, March 11, 2025Western Pacific Marine pulls the rug out on BCGEU members and Kootenays communityFerry operator slashes wage offers in latest bargaining session, below previous offersBURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) - Following weeks of seemingly productive bargaining between Western Pacific Marine (WPM) and the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) bargainin...
Saturday, March 8th is International Women's Day, and this year's theme is #AccelerateAction.For well over a century, IWD has been a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This day is also a call to action for all women, two-spirit, trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people to accelerate equality, dismantle barriers and challenge har...
The B.C. government tabled its annual budget yesterday and, as you may know, this coincided with the announcement of U.S. tariffs-and Canadian counter-tariffs-being imposed. The U.S. tariff regime is designed to incentivize secondary and tertiary manufacturing, along with critical segments of our workforce, to move south of the border.
I attended the budget lock-up with a small team of our uni...
MEDIA RELEASE March 6, 2025 New poll: B.C. majority wants to see lab services out of American hands and under public control
BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – A Research Co. poll has found that a majority of British Columbians support taking medical lab services such as LifeLabs out of American hands and placing them under public control instead.
This poll was commissioned by the B.C...
Media AdvisoryMarch 4, 2025BCGEU president available to comment on B.C. budget Following the release of the 2025/26 B.C. budget, B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) president Paul Finch is available for comment and can speak to the impact this budget will have on workers and affordability.The BCGEU is one of the largest and most diverse unions in British Columbia with over 90,000 members in 5...
We are pleased to announce the results of the Election for the Local 503 Executive:
Pursuant to PE Policy D-8 "Conduction Local Elections":
7. Where no nomination is received for an office, nominations will be considered to remain open, but by-selections should not occur until all appeals are exhausted. During the three-year term, if a member in good standing submits a nomination for a vacant ...
The sixth week of public service bargaining concluded in Victoria on Friday. We reached agreement on the use of artificial intelligence and automated work, achieved language regarding our commitment to reconciliation, and continued work on the component agreements. The employer has refused to negotiate meaningful language changes on key issues such as reasonable parameters on telework and elect...
MEDIA ADVISORYFebruary 26, 2025 BCGEU president to visit LifeLabs picket line in VictoriaBURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – Members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) working at LifeLabs have begun their second week of rotating picket lines at patient service centres throughout the province.Union spokespersons, including BCGEU president Paul Finch, will be availabl...
MEDIA RELEASE
February 21, 2025
BCGEU reiterates call for CLBC’s role to return to direct governmentRejects assertions that doing so would be a move backwards for individuals with disabilities
Burnaby (Coast Salish Territories) – Following recent concerns that bringing Community Living BC’s (CLBC) work back into direct government would move the province backwards, BCGEU members working at the a...
Expression of InterestEquity Practicum Program(3 Temporary Postings) Field ServicesFebruary 2025
The B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) and the B.C. Union Workers Union (UWU) are committed to increasing the diversity of servicing staff employed by the BCGEU. Three (3) 12-month practicum positions are now available, specifically for BCGEU members who identify as Indigenous, Black, or People ...
MEDIA ADVISORYFebruary 19, 2025LifeLabs picket line in VancouverBURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) - Members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) working at LifeLabs begin picket lines at various locations throughout the province on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Picket lines will subsequently rotate according to our essential services order.Union spokespersons will be available at ...
MEDIA ADVISORYFebruary 19, 2025LifeLabs picket line in VictoriaBURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – Members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) working at LifeLabs begin picket lines at various locations throughout the province on Thursday, February 20, 2025. Picket lines will subsequently rotate according to our essential services order. BCGEU members will be picketing at the Ro...
MEDIA RELEASEFebruary 18, 2025BCGEU reacts to BC throne speech 2025 In response to the 2025 B.C. throne speech, B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) president Paul Finch released the following statement:
A strong public sector is critical to a thriving economy. The BCGEU is encouraged by government’s commitment to strengthen B.C.’s economy by putting people first – and we will hold them to th...
Did you know that more than one third of the 34,000 members of the public service have worked for the public service for less than five years? That means that up to one third of our bargaining unit may have never gone through a round of bargaining before. To ensure that all members know and understand the bargaining process, your bargaining committee encourages you to check out this new video: ...
Media advisory – February 18, 2025 BCGEU president available for comment on B.C. throne speech B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) president Paul Finch will be attending the throne speech at the B.C. legislature today, and will be available for interviews following. The BCGEU is urging government to put workers first as it lays out its plan to deal with the evolving economic situation facing ...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 13, 2025
LifeLabs workers issue 72-hour strike notice
BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – Members of the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) working at LifeLabs have issued 72-hours' strike notice to their employer. This action follows months of negotiations and LifeLabs' refusal to bring wages and benefits in line with the cost of living, or to address p...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 13, 2025BCGEU president available for comment, public service hiring freezeBurnaby (Coast Salish Territories) - Today the provincial government of British Columbia announced it will freeze hiring any new public service employees due to the looming threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.Paul Finch, president of the BCGEU, is available for media interviews via phon...
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