NEWS & UPDATES
September 19, 2019
President’s message – Global Climate Strike - BCGEU
Like many of you I'm inspired by the passion and perseverance of Greta Thunberg and student activists across the world who have worked so hard and so fast to put the climate crisis at the forefront of the public agenda and hold politicians accountable for their lack of action to prevent or mitigate it.
I want you to know your union recognizes the urgency of the climate crisis and the need for ...
September 03, 2019
The 18th Main Public Service and component agreements are now available throu...
The 18th Main Public Service and component agreements came into effect on April 1, 2019 and expire on March 31, 2022. BCGEU members who work in the B.C. public service, like yourself, ratified them last year following five weeks of negotiations. The bargaining committee was proud of the many improvements they were able to achieve for members, including: a two per cent general wage increase in...
August 30, 2019
Kootenays inland ferry workers to kick off Labour Day weekend strike - BCGEU
WHAT: BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) inland ferry workers employed by Western Pacific Marine will kick off a three-day strike on Saturday August 31st. The move comes after several months of unsuccessful negotiations for a new collective agreement that will address long-standing issues with substandard wages, benefits and training that have created a staffing crisis for the f...
August 30, 2019
Paid leave for people who experience domestic violence – B.C. should become a...
Earlier this month, the BCGEU wrote to Minister of Labour Harry Bains calling on the B.C. government to amend the Employment Standards Act in order to support those who experience domestic violence.
Today we are pleased to learn that government has launched consultations on the matter, and we reiterate our call for B.C. to adopt New Zealand's standard which allows all workers affected 10 days o...
August 29, 2019
A message for Labour Day from Stephanie Smith - BCGEU
Like thousands of labour activists, I’ll spend the first Monday in September surrounded by my family—my labour family. It’s a family I’ve been a part of since I first joined a union as a childcare worker more than 30 years ago. It’s a family I cherish.Labour Day 2019 is special for me and every member of the BCGEU because this is our centennial year. The Provincial Civil Service Association o...
August 29, 2019
Kootenays inland ferry workers serve 72-hour strike notice - BCGEU
On Wednesday, the 80 members of the BC Government & Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) employed by Western Pacific Marine issued a 72-hour strike notice, making it all but certain that the Kootenay Lake ferry will be shut down to routine travel over the Labour Day long weekend.
The move comes after several months of unsuccessful negotiations for a new collective agreement that the ferry worke...
August 27, 2019
BCGEU calls on BC government to scrap detrimental pension rules
The BC Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is calling on the BC government to scrap outdated rules that compromise private sector defined benefit pension plans by inaccurately measuring their value and creating unnecessary volatility. The union's call to action on this issue follows the release of "A Review of the Solvency Funding Framework under the Pension Benefits Standards Act: ...