FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 6, 2025 

Over 10,000 rally at B.C. Legislature to support striking public service workers 

VICTORIA, B.C.– Coinciding with the start of the fall legislative session, more than 10,000 union members and allies marched through Victoria today in a powerful show of unity with nearly 19,700 striking public service workers represented by the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU). Marking the sixth week of job action, leaders from major unions and allied organizations - including the Professional Employees Association (PEA), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the BC Federation of Labour (BCFED) - joined BCGEU president Paul Finch at the rally, denouncing government inaction at the bargaining table and calling on them to return with a fair wage offer or face continued job action escalation in the coming days.

"We brought our bargaining demands straight to the government's doorstep right at the start of the fall legislative session," said BCGEU president Paul Finch. "Today's rally – our biggest rally yet – shows the undeniable power of working people standing together. B.C.'s public service workers deserve respect, fairness, and wages that reflect their true value. We won't back down, we won't be divided, and we won't stop until we win a fair deal." 

This show of solidarity comes just one week after resumed negotiations collapsed on their first day, deepening tensions in what is now one of the largest public sector job actions in B.C. history. 

Meanwhile, the BCGEU sharply escalated its job action today as members walked off the job at 106 additional worksites, bringing the total to 308 sites impacted across the province and a total of nearly 22,000 workers participating in job action. 

The threat of even greater disruption to public services looms as the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) announced last Friday that they had reached an impasse in talks with the government. The CBA represents close to 23,000 workers across the province, and its members work in some of the most critical, community-based services like drug and alcohol treatment centres, adult day care, detox and emergency shelters, women's clinics, seniors' services, mental health group homes, home support, and more. 

Despite growing public disruption, the BCGEU reiterated its commitment to bargaining a fair contract that addresses the affordability crisis faced by public service workers. Talks broke down again on September 29 when the government returned to the table with no meaningful improvement on wages. The BCGEU is calling for a four per cent general wage increase each year for two years for all public service workers - a fair and modest proposal that keeps pace with inflation. 

The government's counter of a two per cent per year for two years general wage increase falls well short. While government has publicly claimed their offer amounts to five per cent over two years, that figure is misleading: it folds in temporary market adjustments and other items not all workers would receive. 

"Workers have kept vital public services running under immense pressure," said Finch. "They deserve transparency and real wage growth - not spin tactics and stalled talks." 

– 30 – 

For media inquiries, contact BCGEU Communications: 
Nadja Komnenic: [email protected] | 604.442.2289 
Backgrounder: www.bargainingbc.ca/public_service

UWU/MoveUP