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: "Bargaining 101".

In this video, you will learn everything you need to know about the bargaining process and how we negotiate fair contracts. From determining your bargaining priorities to voting on a tentative agreement and ultimately ratifying the contract, this video will walk you through every step involved. Your bargaining committee is prepared for all eventualities, and the video outlines all possible outcomes during this round of bargaining.

What's next

There were no bargaining dates scheduled last week, but bargaining will be resuming this week in Burnaby – and next week in Victoria – with our employer, B.C.'s Public Service Agency. We expect that negotiations will continue on the non-monetary items that members like you have identified as priorities, such as dismantling the Job Evaluation Plan and replacing the current system with a modernized classification system. As always, we will continue to keep you informed every step of the way.

Hiring Freeze

As you are aware, last week the provincial government announced it will freeze hiring of any new public service employees due to the looming threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods (read our bulletin here). As a result of this announcement, there was a lot of media interest in this story. BCGEU President and Chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee Paul Finch was interviewed on numerous media outlets to provide our union's perspective. Check out some of the news coverage here:

• CityNews: B.C. gov't to freeze hiring, cancel grocery rebate amid U.S. tariff threats
• CBC: B.C. cancels $1,000 grocery rebate and pauses hiring over Trump's tariff threats
• Chek News: B.C. government under hiring freeze, says premier

In solidarity, 

Your Public Service Bargaining Committee

Paul Finch, President and Committee Chair
Maria Bennett, Treasurer
Dean Purdy, Component 1 Vice-President
Kusam Doal, Component 5 Vice-President
Judy Fox-McGuire, Component 6 Vice-President
Mona Dykes, Component 6 Second Representative
DJ Pohl, Component 12 Vice-President
Faith Johnston, Component 12 1st Vice-President
Robert Davis, Component 20 Vice-President 
Douglas W. Dykens, Executive Director – Advocacy, Negotiations, Member 
Benefits and secretary to the PSBC 
Larisa Mills, Staff Representative 
Sumiko Marshall, Support Staff 

UWU/MoveUP

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 our province. Because it is workers that help keep our economy moving, the BCGEU is calling on government to prioritize making life more affordable for all workers, including those within the public service and wider public sector. 

This throne speech comes at a critical time for public sector workers, who are in the midst of an unprecedented affordability crisis but are also re-negotiating their collective agreements. To discuss the throne speech from a worker's perspective, BCGEU president Paul Finch is available for comment and can speak to broader issues of affordability, as well as the importance of a strong public sector in times of economic difficulty. BCGEU represents more than 72,000 public sector workers across the province, and the wage gains our union fights for will have an impact across sectors, raising the bar for workers in various industries, including in the private sector. As bargaining continues, BCGEU urges government to keep our economy resilient by supporting a robust public service.

For interviews, please contact Nadja Komnenic, BCGEU Communications at [email protected] or 604 442-2289.

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 poor working conditions resulting from chronic understaffing. 

"LifeLabs workers receive 4-16% below what others in their industry get paid and they are struggling to make ends meet," said BCGEU president Paul Finch. "Now that LifeLabs is owned by Quest Diagnostics, a billion-dollar U.S. health giant – we are fighting against an American for-profit model of healthcare and its impacts on workers." 

The union is seeking wage increases that close the gap with those in the public sector doing the same work, solutions to short-staffing and workload issues, and improvements to health and safety benefits. 

"Workers want the employer to come back to the table with an offer that is less focused on their corporate profit margins, and more respectful both of workers, and the thousands of us across B.C. that depend on LifeLabs' services," said Finch. 

As workers launch job action, they will be holding a one-day strike kickoff rally on Sunday February 16, 2025, at the LifeLabs Burnaby Reference Lab. 

Media are invited to attend the rally: 

WHAT: Rally launching a province-wide strike for unionized LifeLabs workers.

WHEN: Sunday, February 16, 2025. Supporters arriving at 12 pm PST. Spokespeople available for interviews at 12:30 pm PST. Speeches at 1 pm PST.

WHO: BCGEU members working at LifeLabs will be joined by BCGEU president Paul Finch, the BCGEU bargaining committee, and other supporters. 

WHERE: Burnaby Reference Lab, 3680 Gilmore Way, Burnaby B.C. [map] 

VISUALS: LifeLabs workers from around the province and their supporters will rally in solidarity, hear from union leaders, and call for a fair deal with colourful union flags and signs. 

CONTACT: Please send requests for interviews to Nadja Komnenic at BCGEU headquarters by emailing [email protected] or calling 604-442-2289. 

In November, LifeLabs workers voted 98 per cent in favour of strike action and have been working without a contract since April 1, 2024. 

The BCGEU represents about 1,200 workers at LifeLabs throughout the province. 

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

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2025

BCGEU president available for comment, public service hiring freeze

Burnaby (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 phone or Zoom.

The BCGEU is one of the largest unions in British Columbia, with over 90,000 members in almost every community and economic sector. The BCGEU is currently in negotiations for the next collective agreement representing 34,000 employees of B.C.'s public service.

Contact:
BCGEU Communications
[email protected]



UWU/MoveUP

MEDIA RELEASE

February 11, 2025

In the wake of coroner’s inquest and scandal, BCGEU urges B.C. government to return CLBC back to direct government 
 
The BCGEU (BC General Employees’ Union) is calling on the provincial government to bring Community Living BC (CLBC) back into direct government. The recent coroner’s inquest and conflict of interest concerns at the agency demonstrates that the CLBC’s current system of governance isn’t working.
 
The BCGEU represents nearly 800 members who work at CLBC, many of which have been raising concerns about the governance for years. “CLBC workers are in this field because they care about clients, and they are dedicated to providing the services needed to allow them to live independently,” said Paul Finch, BCGEU President. “Workers and clients deserve an organization that with a governance structure that prioritizes the needs of clients and allows for a positive working environment. CLBC is clearly falling short on both.”
 
CLBC has recently come under fire following the death of an individual receiving services through the agency. The inquest into Florence Girard’s death issued 13 recommendations for reforming CLBC’s work, but BCGEU members at the agency feel that even if fully implemented, these recommendations will not address wider, systemic problems.
 
“The 20-year experiment of providing these services outside of direct government has been shown to be a failure. CLBC clearly doesn’t have the governance controls and management structures in place to accomplish their mandate. It is critical to have proper accountability when government dollars are being spent. The bottom line is that a systemic problem needs a systemic solution – that’s why our union is calling on government to bring CLBC back into direct government,” said Finch.
 
In addition to improving outcomes for the individuals the agency serves, bringing CLBC back into government may also lead to cost savings for the provincial government. CLBC’s added layer of bureaucracy diverts what could be direct-care funding into rapidly growing executive compensation, which has far outpaced wage increases for front-line staff. Since 2019, CLBC’s executives have seen increases ranging from 39.9% to 75.4%, while front-line workers have received increases amounting to only 19%.
 
The majority of CLBC workers are based out of the Lower Mainland, however there are workers located in communities all throughout the province. They work as administrative officers, clerks, mental health support workers, occupational therapists and social program officers. In addition to the nearly 800 workers at CLBC, BCGEU’s membership includes thousands of direct care workers at community social service agencies that receive CLBC funding

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
February 10, 2025 
 
BCGEU unsurprised by RCY report findings, calls for workload management tool  
 
Burnaby, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) - Members of the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) are unsurprised by the report issued February 6, 2025, by British Columbia’s Representative for Children and Youth, and call for the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) to implement a workload management and measurement tool.

The report concludes what BCGEU members have been raising to the ministry for years, including in the union’s 2014 campaign, Choose Children – child welfare social workers in B.C. are in a state of crisis.

“Social workers are leaving a profession that they feel called to do but the ministry is doing nothing constructive about their crushing workload,” said Paul Finch, BCGEU president.

Like the RCY, the BCGEU is calling for committed efforts to fix the long-standing situation. 

“We acknowledge that some effort has been made to improve things – like increasing staffing levels – but more is needed to make a material difference,” said Finch. “Also, we’ve repeatedly requested that the ministry review its current incentives to recruit professionals into hard-to-place roles and even increase those incentives.” 

The BCGEU supports all the recommendations in the RCY’s latest report, especially the implementation of tools to better manage and measure workload and how it is distributed.

The BCGEU is also calling for a separate report from the RCY for Indigenous Child and Family Service Agencies (ICFSAs).

“It is essential that the voices of workers at delegated Indigenous agencies be included in discussions about social work caseload pressures, to ensure a thorough context around workload and help overcome inequalities in the social work field in Indigenous populations.” 

  
-30- 
  
Paul Finch, president of the BCGEU, will be available for media interviews via phone or Zoom. 
  
Contact: 
BCGEU Communications 
[email protected] 

UWU/MoveUP

BCGEU is seeking members who are interested in becoming member educators.

Member educators play a vital role in delivering our worker-centered union education programs and facilitating meaningful and inclusive learning experiences for our members. If you are interested in being considered for the role, please complete this Expression of Interest form by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 17.

Member educators co-facilitate workshops offered through our BCGEU Learning, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), or Organizing departments. All member educators will receive facilitation skills training and are expected to make a commitment to stay active in the role for at least two - three years. This year we are recruiting member educators to deliver courses in our Learning and OHS departments only.

By completing the Expression of Interest form the selection committee will be able to find out more about your interests and your background so please provide as much information as possible. The selection committee includes the chair of the Education and Scholarship committee, two members of the Provincial Executive and staff.

All stewards and members who have taken STEP UP! and union appointed OHS reps who have completed the basic OHS training are welcome to apply. We strongly encourage applications from members who are Indigenous, Black and Workers of Colour as well as members from all equity groups, young workers, and workers with additional language skills.

If you have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].

In solidarity,

BCGEU Learning & OHS

Ann Bradbury
Education Officer
BCGEU Learning & OHS

UWU/MoveUP

Over 40 delegates from communities across the province, representing the 33,000 BCGEU members who work for the BC Public Service, gathered in Burnaby last Friday to discuss priorities and strategies for bargaining our next collective agreement early next year.

BCGEU president and Public Service Bargaining committee chair Paul Finch welcomed delegates to the Public Service Bargaining Conference with opening remarks. 

"We're looking three rounds out in bargaining, and we're going to be coordinated. This is how we'll get all members to where they need to be in terms of wages and working conditions. This requires us all to understand past achievements and current challenges, and what our priorities will be this round," said Finch. "We are going to be bold, open, honest and forthright with members about our bargaining goals, and members want to be engaged in the process and ready to mobilize. This is how we are going to get the absolute best agreement that we possibly can."

Members have been incredibly engaged this round so far, through surveys, polls, small group discussions and nearly a record number of submitted proposals. It's clear that members know what they want and what they deserve. The Public Service Bargaining committee thanks each member who took the time to share their ideas and help the committee evaluate the top priorities for this round of bargaining. 

BCGEU research staff reviewed the high-level results from the bargaining survey that nearly 7,000 members completed. Members shared a variety of concerns, but their input underscored the same common theme: they want a fair and equitable collective agreement that reflects the importance of the work they do.

Well-known Vancouver pollster Mario Canseco presented delegates with a detailed summary and analysis of the recent poll of our union's public service members. Canseco walked through the benchmarks from polling from the last round of bargaining, including members' motivations and willingness to take job action. 

The Public Service Bargaining committee will continue to meet in the coming weeks to review proposals and ultimately finalize our bargaining package to bring to the table. We will keep members informed every step of the way.

See photos of the Public Service Bargaining Conference here.

In solidarity,

 
Paul Finch, President and Committee Chair
Maria Bennett, Treasurer
Dean Purdy, Component 1 Vice-President 
Kusam Doal, Component 5 Vice-President 
Judy Fox-McGuire, Component 6 Vice-President 
Mona Dykes, Component 6 Second Representative 
DJ Pohl, Component 12 Vice-President 
Faith Johnston, Component 12 1st Vice-President 
Robert Davis, Component 20 Vice-President
Douglas W. Dykens, Executive Director – Advocacy, Negotiations, Member
Benefits and Secretary to the PSBC
Sumiko Marshall, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP

The BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) supports the coalition of former and current students who are opposing the closure of Surrey Learning Centres, also known as alternative education sites.

Learning centres provide a safe and supportive environment where students can meet their educational needs. These centres focus on building trust and creating a comfortable space, which is essential for vulnerable students who require a more tailored approach to their education. With the closure of learning centres, students are forced to consider increasingly distant centres.

Last year, the Guilford Learning Centre in Surrey closed. This year, Surrey School District has confirmed City Central Learning Centre will reopen as an elementary school and South Surrey White Rock Learning Centre will close. If this closure happens, only two learning centres will remain in Surrey. 

The BCGEU stands with the former and current students of Surrey Learning Centres opposing the closures of learning centres that are essential to our communities.