FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2022

BCGEU reaches tentative agreement in B.C. public service bargaining

VICTORIA, B.C. –Following more than seven months of negotiations and a historic job action that lasted almost two weeks, the BC General Employees' Union's (BCGEU) public service bargaining committee has reached a tentative agreement with the provincial government's B.C.'s Public Service Agency (PSA). This agreement covers 33,000 bargaining unit members working in direct government service.

"The members of this bargaining unit have been clear from the day we started preparing for bargaining last fall that their top priorities were wage increases and meaningful wage protections and our committee took that message to the PSA," said Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU and chair of the bargaining committee. "The 95% strike vote we got in June and actioned in August was our members' response to an offer that showed their employer had not gotten the message. After almost two weeks of job action and nine consecutive days at the table, enough progress was made that the committee decided it was time to let our members see what's on offer and have their say."

The PSA invited the BCGEU back to the bargaining table in late August - more than five weeks after talks broke down in July – where both parties spent nine straight days at the table to reach a deal. "Bargaining is never easy and this has been a long and challenging round," said Smith. "I'm proud of the work our committee has done and I'm proud of the solidarity our members have shown over the last eight months-especially the hundreds who walked picket lines at liquor and cannabis locations and the thousands who refused much-needed over-time as part of our job action."

This tentative agreement is the result of almost a year of work by the BCGEU's bargaining committee and members of the bargaining unit. Last fall, the union conducted the most extensive consultation for public service negotiations in BCGEU history. Our members told us that they wanted a contract that offered wage increases and wage protections that address rising costs and that recognized the critical importance of robust public services and the workers that provide them.

Here are the highlights from the agreement: Public Service tentative agreement highlights

Timelines for the ratification vote will be confirmed in the coming days.

The BCGEU's 33,000 member public service bargaining unit was the first of many public sector unions to bargain with the government in 2022. In total, more than two-thirds of the BCGEU's 85,000 members will be engaged in public sector bargaining this year.

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General media contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

Following a return to the bargaining table, the BCGEU's Public Service Bargaining Committee has stood down job action at BC Public Service worksites as a sign of good faith.

The committee returned to the bargaining table with the BC Public Service Agency (PSA) last Thursday and has made significant progress. The two sides will continue to meet throughout the week, hoping to finalize a tentative agreement.

The union's overtime ban has ended – effective immediately – and preparations are underway to stand down picket lines at BC Liquor Distribution Branch locations.

The two parties' media and member communications blackout will continue.

BCGEU accepts government offer to return to the bargaining table

(BURNABY, B.C.) Late last night the Public Service Agency (PSA) invited the BCGEU's Public Service Bargaining Committee back to the table to resume talks. The bargaining committee has accepted that invitation. Bargaining is expected to resume soon, but logistics are still being confirmed.

This is a significant development, and it is the direct result of the pressure BCGEU members have applied, which includes the current job action and shows solidarity from BCGEU members and allies.

In order to maintain that pressure, the union's current job action will remain in effect until further notice.

The parties have agreed to a media and member communications blackout so no further comment will be made.

For more information contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 22, 2022
 
BCGEU escalates job action by declaring an overtime ban in the B.C. Public Service

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – The bargaining committee representing 33,000 BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) members in the B.C. Public Service is escalating job action by declaring a ban on non-emergency overtime for BCGEU members working in the B.C. public service effective immediately. The overtime ban will not apply to members employed in BC Wildfire Service for the duration of the current wildfire season. In addition to the overtime ban, targeted job action at BC Liquor Distribution Branch distribution and wholesale centres remains in effect.
 
"BC's public service has been reliant on our members' overtime for far too long and dealing with the systemic issues behind that reliance is part of what we're trying to achieve in this round of bargaining," said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president and chair of the union's public service bargaining committee. "In this job action our members are the vanguard of the broader public sector in our province. We hope this escalation gives government the incentive they need to invite us back to the bargaining table and negotiate a deal that will ensure robust, sustainable public services for our province and a fair deal for BCGEU members and all public sector workers."
 
Workers' willingness to perform overtime in non-emergency situations can mask the true impact of systemic issues like under-staffing, excessive workload and high turnover-issues that have plagued the public service for years. In fact, public service workers feel tremendous pressure to work overtime in order to protect the individuals, families and communities they serve. But reliance on overtime is unsustainable and dangerous, leading to burnout, increased risk to physical and psychological safety of workers and erosion of the services people rely on.
 
The most recent collective agreement between the union and the Public Service Agency (PSA) expired on April 1, 2022. Negotiations for a new collective agreement started on February 8. Bargaining reached impasse on April 6, and union members voted 95% in favour of job action on June 22. The parties met again in July but talks quickly broke down.
 
For more information on BCGEU bargaining please visit www.bargainingbc.ca

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General media contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – The BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) public service bargaining unit will begin targeted job action at select BC Liquor Distribution Branch wholesale and distribution centres at 3:30 pm today after issuing strike notice on Friday, August 12.

Picket lines will go up at the following locations:

• Delta Distribution Centre (DDC) – 7003 72nd Street, Delta, B.C.
• Kamloops Distribution Centre (KDC) – 9881 Dallas Drive, Kamloops, B.C.
• Richmond Distribution Centre (RDC) – 3389 No 6 Rd, Richmond, B.C.
• Victoria Wholesale Customer Centre – 2291 Government Street, Victoria, B.C.

Members at the Wholesale Customer Centre and the Customer Care Centre (Cannabis division) in Burnaby will be included in the targeted job action but there will not be a picket line at that location.

Retail liquor and cannabis stores will not be part of this phase of job action.

BCGEU president Stephanie Smith will be available to media at the Delta distribution centre at 3:30 PM.

Jason McLean, Secretary-Treasurer of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), of which the BCGEU is an affiliate, will also be available to the media in Delta at 3:30.

For more information on BCGEU bargaining please visit www.bargainingbc.ca

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General media contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

BCGEU members will set up picket lines at 3:30 Monday at four BC Liquor Distribution Branch wholesale and distribution centres.

The job sites involved are:

• Delta Distribution Centre
• Kamloops Distribution Centre
• Richmond Distribution Centre
• Victoria Wholesale Centre

Only the BC LDB distribution sites listed above will be picketed.

Who else is picketing:

• workers at the Wholesale Customer Centre and the Customer Care Centre in Burnaby will join the picket lines above

All other members of the B.C. public service, including those working at BC Liquor Stores, should report for work as usual and will not be picketing.

If job action escalates to include your worksite, you will be notified in advance.

It is important that we all stand together, here are ways that members who aren't picketing can support the efforts of those who are:

1. Supporting a picket line near you. Join the picket line during non-work hours. Even if you can't walk the line, talk to a picket captain on site about ways to show your solidarity.
2. Wear your solidarity. Don't have a COLA button yet? Contact your area office to get one and show your support for one of our key demands.

Update your contact info

As always, please ensure that our union has your latest personal email. In the event of job action at your worksite, access to your work email will likely be cut off.

Log into the Member Portal to check that your personal information is correct and up-to-date. If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it here. If you don't yet have a Member Portal account, click here to sign up today.

NOTE: If you are adding an address that was previously unsubscribed from BCGEU emails, you must also resubscribe by filling out the form here. If you have heard from colleagues that they haven't received emails after updating their contact info, please let them know about resubscribing.

You can find answers to common questions about job action on our Strike FAQ. If you have additional questions, please contact your shop steward or [email protected].

Thank you for your unwavering support.

In solidarity,

Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee

Stephanie Smith, President

Paul Finch, Treasurer

Judy Phipps, Executive Vice President

Dean Purdy, Vice President - Component 1

Kusam Doal, Vice President - Component 5

Judy Fox-McGuire, Vice President - Component 6

Kayla Woodruff, Member at Large - Component 6

Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12

Matt Damario, Component 12

Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20

Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator

Lisa Lane, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP

Today, our union issued 72-hours’ strike notice to the Public Service Agency (PSA). This notice covers the 33,000 members of the public service bargaining unit who work for direct government.
 
We will be in a legal strike position on Monday, Aug. 15 at 2:46 p.m. Keep an eye on your email for details on targeted sites to be picketed. A general message will be sent out on Monday morning. If your site is one of the targeted sites, you will be contacted by a picket captain over the weekend.
 
Earlier this week, the PSA invited the union back to the bargaining table. Exploratory discussions were held, and the bargaining committee unanimously decided a return to the table would not be fruitful at this time.
 
Your bargaining committee’s goal has always been to get a deal which provides appropriate cost of living protection for your wages. That is still our goal, and we are ready to return to the table when your employer demonstrates that they are able to meet your demands.
 
Essential services details
After months of negotiation our union has achieved an interim Essential Service Order from the BC Labour Relations Board.
 
This order was the final piece of the puzzle we needed to action the strike mandate that you gave us in June. If you are able to participate in job action according to this order, your union will contact you.
 
You can find answers to common questions about job action on our Strike FAQ. If you have additional questions, you can contact [email protected].
 
In solidarity,
 
Your BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee
 
Stephanie Smith, President
Paul Finch, Treasurer
Judy Phipps, Executive Vice President
Dean Purdy, Vice President - Component 1
Kusam Doal, Vice President - Component 5
Judy Fox-McGuire, Vice President - Component 6
Kayla Woodruff, Member at Large - Component 6
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff
 


Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP

BCGEU serves strike notice on provincial government

BURNABY, B.C. (Coast Salish Territories) – The bargaining committee representing 33,000 members of the BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) who work for the provincial government issued 72-hours' strike notice this afternoon. The B.C. public service bargaining unit will be in a legal position to take job action as of 2:46 p.m., Monday, August 15. 

The union will not be releasing details about the job action at this time.

The most recent collective agreement between the union and the Public Service Agency (PSA) expired on April 1, 2022. Negotiations for a new collective agreement started on February 8. Bargaining reached impasse on April 6, and union members voted 95% in favour of job action on June 22. The parties met again in July but talks quickly broke down.

Earlier this week, the PSA invited the union back to the bargaining table. Exploratory discussions were held, and the bargaining committee unanimously decided a return to the table would not be fruitful at this time.

"Our members have been crystal clear since day one that their priority this round of bargaining was cost of living protection for their wages," said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president and chair of the union's public service bargaining committee. "The bottom line is they're not asking for anything that MLAs don't already have. The strike vote in June and issuing strike notice today is a message to government that our members are serious."

For more information on BCGEU bargaining please visit www.bargainingbc.ca

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Media contact: BCGEU Communications, [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

Poll also shows a plurality of support for land value capture tax to fund affordable housing
 
Burnaby - A Research Co. poll has found that a majority of people in British Columbia support progressive policies to address the housing affordability crisis. The poll was commissioned by the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) as part of Affordable BC – the union’s ongoing campaign to address housing affordability.

The soaring cost of housing is the single biggest component of the affordability crisis in B.C. This poll showed that an overwhelming number of British Columbians believe all levels of government need to do more to address this crisis – with 78 per cent, 81 per cent, and 73 per cent respectively saying that the federal, provincial, and municipal governments need to do more.
 
“While high inflation is now affecting economies worldwide, years of inflated land values in B.C. have created the housing crisis we have today,” said Paul Finch, BCGEU treasurer and chair of the union’s Affordable BC campaign. “This polling underlines what has become a divide in our society – between creditors profiting on the housing market and working people who must pay significant portions of their income on rents and mortgages. Unless we take action now, what is increasingly becoming a generational gap will only grow.”
 
The poll’s findings include the following:

• 73 per cent of people in British Columbia support stronger investments in public housing.
• 67 per cent support mandatory municipal inclusionary zoning policies – where a set number of below-market rate housing units are required when properties are up-zoned for development.
• 62 per cent support tying the provincial cap on rent increases to units rather than individual tenancies – also known as vacancy control.
• 47 per cent support land value taxation to recover and reinvest land value increases that result from public investments.

“All levels of government can implement proven solutions to make our communities more affordable but year after year they fail to take the action needed to make a difference,” said Kari Michaels, BCGEU executive vice-president. “Public support for expanded housing affordability measures is strong and BCGEU members are working with community allies to urge action on proven solutions now.”

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation defines housing as “affordable” if it costs less than 30 per cent of a household’s pre-tax income. Among those who are paying rent or a mortgage, more than half of respondents spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing. Of those who do not own their homes, 50 per cent of respondents do not believe that homeownership is achievable for them.

Recognizing that wages cannot keep up with runaway housing costs, the BCGEU’s Affordable BC campaign was launched in 2017 after members directed their union to push for housing affordability at the 2017 convention. Since then, the BCGEU members have engaged with experts to research and develop housing policy solutions that, if implemented by local and provincial governments, will make housing in communities across B.C. more affordable.

Read the Affordable BC Plan here:https://www.affordablebc.ca/

Results are based on an online study conducted from June 29 to July 1, 2022, among 804 adults in British Columbia. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in British Columbia. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.5 percentage points, nineteen

Link to Factum
Link to Data Tables
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About BCGEU: BCGEU is one of the largest unions in British Columbia, with over 85,000 members in almost every community and economic sector in the province.

For more information contact: [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP