In 2022, we learned that 7 out of 10 workers surveyed have experienced harassment and violence on the job. Has anything changed since then? 

Canada's unions are working to find out – and to ensure that every worker is safe and treated with the respect they deserve. Your voice can help us gather the facts to understand workers' experiences today and push for stronger protections

Take part in the new national survey on workplace harassment and violence to help make work safer for all. 

Take the survey

Our union already knows, thanks to a research partnership with the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children at Western University, that 55% of BCGEU members working in the public and private sector have experienced at least one behavior of aggression, harassment and/or violence in the past 2 years. It's important that we expand this research because harassment and violence should never be part of the job. This survey will allow us to measure progress, understand what has improved, and identify where more must be done to create a safer world of work.

All responses are anonymous, and you do not need to have filled out the 2022 survey to complete this one. We encourage every worker aged 18+ to take part, even if you haven't personally experienced or witnessed workplace harassment or violence. Your response will help us better understand workers' experiences.

The Respect at Work Survey is led by the Canadian Labour Congress, in partnership with researchers at Western University and the University of Toronto.

Hundreds of workers have already taken part. Join them - the survey is open until December 9, so there's still time to add your voice! It takes 10–15 mins to complete. Take part today: https://canadianlabour.ca/respect-at-work/ 

Thank you for taking the time to support this important research. Together, we can make work safer for workers across the country.

In solidarity, 
BCGEU Occupational Health and Safety 

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 2, 2025

The following release was originally issued on November 28, 2025.

CORRECTION: B.C. dairy milk testers on strike

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) - Dairy milk testers, also known as dairy production technicians (DPTs), employed in British Columbia by nationwide dairy testing provider Lactanet have commenced job action as of November 25, 2025. The workers, who are unionized with the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU), served 72-hour strike notice on November 21, 2025. This job action follows 20 months of bargaining and the employer's refusal to fairly compensate workers for the cost of doing their jobs.

"These workers are demanding that Lactanet reconsider how it's using the fees it charges farmers for testing and cover the actual current-day costs of travelling to farms to gather samples," said BCGEU treasurer Maria Middlemiss. "After 26 months without a contract, these workers can no longer afford to continue in this way."

The workers, who collect samples of dairy milk produced by about 175 herds across the province for testing at the Lactanet lab in Chilliwack, are seeking increases to mileage compensation that cover costs of driving their personal trucks and SUVs to farms, sometimes located up to 100 kilometers away from their home base. Costs include fuel, business-type insurance, tires, maintenance, depreciation and repairs.

Lactanet milk testers in B.C. are currently paid $0.41 per kilometer. In comparison, the Canada Revenue Agency uses $0.72 per kilometer for work travel using personal vehicles.

Farmers using Lactanet services rely on milk testers to obtain data regarding the composition of their milk. This data is useful to farmers as it allows them to make any necessary adjustments to their components and manage somatic cell count to maximize quality and profit.

With the withdrawal of the milk testers' labour, farmers will not receive the data needed to prove the quality of their milk to the BC Milk Board, who determines how much the milk is worth and how much revenue the farmers receive.

"This work stoppage was a tough decision for us because we're passionate about the dairy industry and we're dedicated to the farmers," said Jack van Dongen, milk tester, former dairy farmer and chair of the workers' bargaining committee. "Many of us milk testers work second jobs to make ends meet. We're not trying to get rich doing this job, but it's not reasonable or sustainable for us to pay out-of-pocket for travel expenses, especially since that's not the industry norm."

The milk testers remain dedicated to reaching an agreement and are calling on Lactanet to return to the bargaining table with an offer that covers their costs and respects the farmers and the industry it serves.

"Dairy farmers need these tests, and their milk testers. The B.C. dairy industry deserves a sustainable testing service, and that means accounting for the actual costs of business. Balancing finances on the backs of workers is not a way to help the dairy industry thrive," said Middlemiss.

On November 18, 2025, B.C. Lactanet testers voted 89% per cent in favour of strike action and have been working without a contract since September 30, 2023.

The workers are unionized with the BCGEU, one of the largest unions in British Columbia, with over 90,000 members in almost every community and economic sector.

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For more information, contact BCGEU Communications ([email protected]) or call 604-291-9611.

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 27, 2025

92.3% vote 'YES': Community health workers authorize strike, urge HEABC back to the table 
The vote does not trigger an immediate strike; members are seeking progress on equal pay, fair scheduling, and fully funded benefits, and are ready to return to talks. 

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories)– Members of the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) have delivered an overwhelming strike authorization mandate for a stronger collective agreement. Following an impasse with the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) on October 3, 2025, today members voted (92.3%) YES to authorize job action, if necessary, to achieve meaningful improvements. 

"For the first time in three decades, community health workers have taken a strike vote, sending a powerful message that cannot be ignored," said Scott De Long, Bargaining Chair and BCGEU Vice-President. "Our concerns have gone unaddressed for too long – and we are determined to secure the respect and fairness we deserve in our next contract." 

The CBA represents almost 26,000 community health workers helping seniors age in place, supporting people in shelters and supportive housing, and delivering care in clinics, detox and treatment programs, mental-health group homes, and regional health units. Unfair treatment and chronic inequities are driving workers away and putting the stability of community-based services at risk. 

Despite nearly 20 days of bargaining this year, urgent member priorities remain unresolved. Community health workers are seeking parity with other HEABC health care workers: fair funding of benefits, fair overtime rules by seniority, protections against precarious scheduling, and equal pay for equal work. 

"For over 30 years, community health workers have been paid less and given fewer benefits than others in the health care system doing the same work," added De Long. "We're calling on government and HEABC to return to the table with a mandate to fix these long-standing inequities and deliver real improvements to our day-to-day working conditions." 

Negotiations between the CBA and the HEABC began March 4, 2025. The strike vote opened November 3, 2025, and closed today. 

The BCGEU is the lead union of the multi-union CBA and represents nearly 16,000 members. For more visit: https://www.bargainingbc.ca/community_health 

Media contact: Bronwen Barnett, BCGEU Communications 

[email protected], 604-291-9611

About the BCGEU 
The BCGEU is one of B.C.'s largest, most diverse, and fastest growing unions, representing over 95,000 members in 550 bargaining units in both the public and private sectors. 73,000 of those members are covered by one of six sectoral agreements in the public sector. 

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UWU/MoveUP

An Exciting Addition to Our Bargaining Committee 

Hi BCGEU, 👋 

We haven't properly introduced ourselves, and it's about time we did! We're the BCGEU members of the Community Bargaining Association's (CBA) negotiations team. Moving forward, we're the workers who will represent you at the bargaining table by amplifying your concerns and your interests to your bosses, so that the employer association they just joined (HEABC) can't ignore you.

Firstly, we want to welcome you to the family. Secondly, we are pleased to announce that the BCGEU has appointed supportive housing activist and Local 301 Chair Kate Banky to the CBA negotiations team!

You need someone in this round of bargaining who knows your work and can advance the issues that matter most to supportive housing workers. Kate Banky has not only worked at Victoria Cool Aid Society as a mental health and client care worker for eight years, but she's also been bargaining for Component 3 (Community Social Services) members over the last several months. 

We know many of you have expressed concerns about how the bargaining proposals at the CBA table - and even the current CBA agreement - compare to the bargaining priorities that you identified for the Community Social Services negotiations team. For this information and more, please visit the BCGEU's supportive housing website. 

Who We Are 

Most of our members are community health workers who deliver critical health services right to our clients' doors, but we also work in group homes, substance-use support and mental health centres. In some ways, our work intersects with yours, supporting vulnerable communities through mental health crises and responding to the toxic drug problem. If you want to know more about the Committee's backgrounds, check out our bios on the CBA bargaining hub. 

As many of you know, the CBA also includes over 1,500 BCGEU members employed at RainCity and Lookout. You should have always been paid the same as your peers at these two supportive housing agencies; now we have a clearer path to close remaining compensation gaps. By uniting with them, you're also growing your bargaining power. Over 3,200 of you organizing around the same goals in the same bargaining association gives you a much louder voice than you had when you were separated by contracts. 

We look forward to growing our movement with a larger base of supportive housing members. Workers in your sector have long been a valued part of the CBA, but now you have the numbers and the solidarity to make meaningful gains in your workplaces. 

In Solidarity, 

Scott De Long, Bargaining Chair and BCGEU Vice-President for Community Health Services

UWU/MoveUP

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
TEMPORARY STAFF REPRESENTATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM
FIELD SERVICES
November 26, 2025

The B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) is committed to increasing opportunities for members to receive dedicated training and gain valuable experience working as a Staff Representative or Organizer through temporary assignments.

Successful candidates will be invited to participate in Staff Representative Training – a program designed teach members the fundamental skills needed to thrive as a front-line staff representative, to organize, recruit and engage activists and build capacity, confidence and community, while helping us better reflect the strengths and diversity of our membership.

WHAT TO EXPECT 

If you are a successful candidate, you can expect the following: 

• to receive an overview of time, structure, topics, and expectations of this role;
• to foster personal growth, stronger staff voice and greater organizational impact;
• to complete a two-week work experience program in a field services office;
• to receive 3 levels of training and mentorship to develop their skills and deepen their understanding of the duties of a servicing representative.
• to complete a six-week work experience program in an organizing role.

All travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the BCGEU for this paid training and employment opportunity. 

Field Services duties include: 

• Assisting officers, stewards, and membership in the day-to-day administration of their union by attending membership meetings, assisting in union elections, preparing and conducting ratification votes; 
• Advising union membership on union policy and procedures;
• Negotiating collective agreements and contract administration through the handling of grievances up to and including expedited arbitration; 
• Teaching courses for stewards and local officers; 
• Assisting in or leading organizing campaigns, both internal and external; 
• Representing the union at local labour councils and conventions; and 
• Developing grassroots campaign plans to advance the interests of the union's membership as well as engaging members and recruiting activists.
  
  

GOALS 

These are intended to be developmental positions, providing successful candidates with the opportunity to build the skills and qualifications of a field services staff representative. We encourage potential participants to explore this opportunity and learn more.

• Experience in and knowledge of the trade union movement; 
• Ability to deal with union leadership and employer representatives; 
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple priorities; 
• Ability to prepare concise written reports and handle a large volume of correspondence and ability to speak in public; 
• An understanding of the goals and values of the BCGEU; 
• A solid understanding of organizing principles with proven experience in union organizing drives; and 
• Demonstrated ability to develop activist skills and maintain an effective working relationship with union and community activists. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Please submit your application by completing this short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YTTYXZN

Be sure to upload your cover letter and resume as a single document and include union and/or equity-related information. If you have questions about the Temporary Staff Representative position or training, please email [email protected].
 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis for 2026.

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 25, 2025

BCGEU conservation officers help with aftermath of grizzly bear attack  

BURNABY, B.C. – In response to the recent grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, Sebastian Kallos, Vice-President of Component 20 (Environment, Technical and Operations) with the B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU), is available for comment. Kallos released the following statement:

We are deeply disturbed by the violent grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We commend the heroic teachers who intervened and helped limit further harm, and we wish everyone impacted a full and speedy recovery. 

This incident underscores the public-safety role of B.C.'s conservation officers and the challenging and dangerous work environment they face. Officers are actively working to locate and safely trap the bears involved and collect forensic evidence at the site of the attack to better understand what happened. As first responders, they risk their lives managing wildlife populations, responding to threats, and educating the public to keep B.C. safe. 
 

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For more information or to book an interview with BCGEU's Sebastian Kallos, please contact Nadja Komnenic, BCGEU Communications at nadja,[email protected] or 604-442-2289. 

UWU/MoveUP

A statement from BCGEU Executive Vice-President and Chair of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Committee Tristen Wybou 

Any life shortened by transphobia deserves to be honored and memorialized. By the same token, all trans people who survive hate and violence - but shrink, hide, edit themselves or lower their expectations just to get by in an unjust world - deserve allyship. They deserve people who will stick out their necks for true liberation, so we can all experience life beyond self-preservation. 

On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we protect the sanctity of grief and point queer members to the support they may need, without giving into despair - because the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has so much life to live. Ironically, we often discover just how much in the outermost reaches of our grief. You can't, after all, feel a loss to its fullest without expanding your capacity to feel everything: joy, hope and resolve included.

In the labour movement, to be connected to our humanity, in all its expressions, is to be connected to our power. All workers have a lot to gain when 2SLGBTQIA+ members, who know grief and joy in equal measure, have the tools and platforms to grow their union activism. 

BCGEU Fights for Justice 

This year for instance, BCGEU, at the direction of our 2SLGBTQIA+ committee, successfully called on the government to repeal Bill 26, the Name Amendment Act. These changes restricted and banned access to legal name changes for some people in B.C., causing disproportionate harm to not only transgender workers, but also Indigenous folks, those fleeing domestic violence, and young people. 

While the amendments in Bill 26 were made under the guise of public safety, they did not address the problem they claimed to fix and even violated international and human rights law. Overall, they have made it harder for people to vote and access employment, housing and medical services.

What so often starts as an attack on the very existence of trans folks reveals itself to be a larger assault on other workers and their neighbours. Bill 26 was no different, and we stood against it.

Still, we remain far from a future that trans British Columbians can celebrate, which is why we must keep strengthening our democracy. Achieving the future we want, means creating space for trans members to design it. 

On the potent terrain of struggle that we call the workplace, we've made headway here. Take our pattern language project, which includes a whole section on trans-inclusive language. You can learn more about that project, and how queer members are leveraging it to build safe, respectful workplaces, here: Trans Day of Remembrance 2025

Alberta's Anti-Trans Agenda 

These gains might feel small right now, especially on a somber day like November 20, but we can't give into despair when we know that staying silent has a human cost. Just look at what's happening in Alberta, where Premier Danielle Smith has now invoked the notwithstanding clause three times in one month, all to push her anti-trans agenda. (That's when a government seeks exemption from a Charter right to advance a piece of legislation.) 

Politicians who stoop to this level bank on wedge issues to sow division within working communities and dilute our peoplepower. They fear monger and turn workers against each other. As a union member, you probably won't be surprised to learn that the first time Premier Smith invoked the Notwithstanding Clause, it was to shut down the teachers' strike. 

Survival As Resistance 

NUPGE recently released a chilling series of stats showing the disproportionate murder and suicide rates of trans people. Trans folks deserve a better story and a safer world. As a union, we'd be lost if we stopped believing in a better world and our agency to build it. For trans workers, who are constantly under attack, survival itself is the act of resistance - an enduring belief in a future that includes us. We're valuable and filled with love, so we insist that our bodies and lives should be ours to guide, embrace and uphold. 

To all trans members who have experienced hate or violence, or suffered for who they are, please know that we are endlessly glad you survived - whether by grit, determination, spite or luck. Your life is meaningful, and the world is better for it.

UWU/MoveUP

A win for all workers and health care providers

Last week, the provincial government made an important announcement that is good news for all workers and relief for health care providers.

Effective immediately, new employment standards regulations will limit when your employer can ask for a doctor's note for short-term illness. Employers in B.C. cannot require a sick note from a worker for the first two health-related, short-term absences of five consecutive days or fewer in the calendar year.

Your union has been calling for this policy change for years and with this announcement, all workers will now benefit. We have long supported health care providers in their efforts to eliminate the burden that unnecessary sick notes cause. The Canadian Medical Association estimates that B.C. doctors wrote about 1.6 million sick notes in 2024 alone!

Workers who are sick with common ailments such as colds and flus can now stay home and focus on getting better, rather than going out into the community and exposing others to communicable viruses.

When you, or your child is sick, the last thing you should have to worry about is getting to your doctor or nurse practitioner to get a sick note.

Several other provinces have already taken steps to limit sick note requirements, and we welcome this change for British Columbians.
 
To learn more about the legislative changes, see the April 15, 2025, news release from the provincial government.

Click here to view the Employment Standards Branch website and related updates.

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 13, 2025

BURNABY, B.C. – BCGEU members of the public service have voted in favour of ratifying the tentative agreement reached between the BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) and the provincial government's Public Service Agency (PSA). Of all public service members, 79% took part in the vote, and 89.3% of those who voted supported (ratified) the tentative agreement. This marks the official end of a historic eight-week strike by public service workers.

BCGEU President Paul Finch says this agreement would not be possible without the tenacity and solidarity of members who stood together for weeks on end to demand a fair deal.

"The focus of this victory is the unwavering determination shown by BCGEU and PEA members as they stood on the lines and did what it took to achieve these gains," said Finch. "For eight difficult weeks, they stood firm-fighting for a strong public service that makes our province work. This deal proves that workers standing together is how real progress is made."

This agreement represents meaningful movement toward closing the gap between public sector wages and the rising cost of living and makes significant progress on key issues such as wages, affordability, and respect for frontline public service workers.

Under the agreement, employees will receive a general wage increase of 3% per year for four years, along with additional targeted pay adjustments for the lowest paid workers in the public service to address the affordability crisis. It also includes a range of non-monetary improvements and enhanced benefits, including:

• Proper classification and evaluation of job duties to ensure that members are fairly compensated for the work they do, with the formation of a joint committee to develop a new, relevant and fair system of classification evaluation to replace the existing Public Service Job Evaluation Plan (PSJEP).
• Stronger job protections, including a new process to review excluded positions and return improperly excluded ones to the bargaining unit.
•  A faster grievance tribunal process to resolve disputes more efficiently.
• Improved vision care and counselling benefits to better support mental health and overall wellbeing.
•  Established a category of fully remote workers that have unique agreement protections.

"This agreement is what is needed to help keep experienced public service workers in their jobs," Finch said. "It helps ensure they're able to continue to provide the critical services that British Columbians rely on every day."

The BCGEU maintained essential services and tried to focus job action on government operations in the initial weeks of the strike to minimize disruption to the public. Finch thanked British Columbians for their patience and support throughout the dispute.

"Throughout the strike, public service workers were eager to return to their jobs serving the public. They did not take this job action lightly. We know this strike has had an impact on the public, and our commitment was always to strengthen public services. We are grateful for the support of the public as we navigated this difficult strike together."

"The solidarity shown by BCGEU and PEA members was undeniable, and this contract is the direct result of their commitment," Finch stated. "This victory sets a new standard for what workers can achieve when they stand shoulder-to-shoulder. It ensures that public service remains a strong and viable career in B.C."

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For more information, contact BCGEU Communications:

Nadja Komnenic: [email protected] | 604.442.2289 

Backgrounder:https://www.bargainingbc.ca/public_service

UWU/MoveUP