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

Photos: picket signs at BCGEU headquarters are ready to be distributed to

While your bargaining committee waits for the provincial government to call us back to the bargaining table, our union is continuing to work with our legal team in final preparations to action the 95 per cent strike mandate. We will be in a position to issue strike notice to your employer soon and we will update you as we have details to share.
 
The government's most recent wage proposal, tabled last month, failed to meet the needs and priorities that you – 33,000 members in the public service bargaining unit – identified, including cost-of-living protection.
 
Instead of trying to reach a deal, the government has not budged on their "take it or leave it" approach. In fact, you may recall that the Deputy Minister’s response to us was that although the employer is ready to return to the table at any time, “That should not be construed to imply that we have reconsidered our position at the bargaining table.” As of today, they still haven’t countered our last offer or shown any sign that they’re ready to get back to the table in a meaningful way.
 
Resources
For those of you who have questions pertaining to strike action, please check out our Strike FAQ. It’s updated regularly so even if you’ve read it before, we recommend that you review it again. Also, this infographic is a helpful visual reminder of where we are at in the bargaining process.
 
Direct deposit
We plan to issue strike pay by direct deposit in the event of job action. To register for direct deposit, our union must have your personal email address on file. It is important to note that in the event of job action you may not have access to your work email address. So please confirm your personal email address is up to date in the Member Portal to avoid delays in receiving strike pay. 
 
More information on the steps you will need to take to register for direct deposit strike pay will be included in future bulletins. 
 
Do you have your COLA button yet?
We encourage members to wear a COLA (cost-of-living adjustment) button to show support of your bargaining committee. If you haven’t received your button yet, contact your BCGEU area office or your local chair.

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

You've voted in favour of strike action…now what?
After our historic member-led strike vote in June, talks resumed between your committee and your employer, the Public Service Agency (PSA). Talks quickly broke down again because your employer once again failed to table a wage offer that met your needs.

While our goal remains achieving a fair agreement at the bargaining table, members may need to support that goal by putting additional pressure on their employer in workplaces and communities. That support could include actioning the 95% strike mandate before it expires on September 20th.

We know that many public service members are new to the bargaining process and/or have never taken job action so we've crafted an FAQ (below) that answers some of your most frequently asked questions.

This FAQ is available online – www.bcgeu.ca/StrikeFAQ – and we will keep the online version updated as new questions or updates arise.

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

Public Service Job Action FAQ

Strike basics

When will we go on strike?
We do not anticipate immediate job action. You should proceed with business as usual until you hear otherwise from your union.

Our union has 90 days to action a strike vote. The votes were counted on June 22nd, so we have until September 20th to initiate some form of job action.

However, we cannot legally strike until the Labour Relations Board (LRB) issues an essential service order. We have been engaged in essential service negotiations with the PSA since March, but with a bargaining unit as wide ranging and diverse as ours, this process takes time. Where the union and the employer cannot agree on essential service levels, we are prepared to fight it out in litigation.

Once our union is legally able to strike, we must provide the employer 72 hours' notice before the start of job action.

Aside from essential service levels, we also want to make sure that whatever strike action we take has maximum impact on your employer-in order to get them to return to the table with a better offer-and minimum impact on union members and the public.

There may be times when your union needs your input about essential service levels or what would constitute effective job action. So, it's important that you keep in touch with your union steward or workplace contact about what's going on.

What about a lockout?
Under the B.C. Labour Code, an employer can lockout employees by closing a place of employment or suspending the work being done by bargaining unit employees. Similar to a union being required to give an employer 72 hours' notice of a strike, an employer has to issue 72 hours' notice of a lockout.

In the case of either a strike or a lockout, BCGEU members would be entitled to strike pay.

What are "essential services"?
The BC Labour Relations Board will designate certain services as "essential" and workers who perform those services will be unable to strike. Such designations may vary in their scope, such as: ruling an entire department to be essential or setting a minimum staffing level for a given role or office.

The standard for "essential" in labour law is not the same thing as what was defined as "essential" during the pandemic. Under labour law, for the purposes of job action, "essential" services are those that preserve the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia. Who is designated "essential" on a given day may rotate, and planning for how to be involved is something that you and your co-workers can prepare for in advance.

With the assistance of the BC Labour Relations Board (LRB), essential service negotiations between your union and your employer are ongoing. Our goal is to get those levels set as low as possible in order to make sure any job action we take has maximum impact on the employer. In general, the employer's goal is to get ES levels set high so that they can continue to operate during job action with minimum impact. In some service areas, the negotiations have been straightforward. In others, the employer is seeking essential service levels which are at or near full staff complements. It seems that some ministries are only concerned about staffing levels when facing a labor dispute!

Our legal team is working with frontline members from the affected ministries to deal with these issues. We anticipate that there will be ministries where we cannot reach an agreement with the PSA, and that the LRB will need to make a judgment on our respective cases and issue orders. Our team is working hard to make sure we can action our strike mandate as soon as possible, and we will keep you informed. 

For detailed background on the law related to essential services in BC please refer to this letter which went this week from the legal team acting for the BCGEU to the PSA.

How long can I expect to be on strike?
There's no set timeline for a strike; however, public-sector strikes typically end faster than private-sector strikes. There's a saying in the labour movement: "the longer the strike line, the shorter the strike." That's because a union's greatest strength is power in numbers.

The more people on the picket line, the better because it communicates to the employer that members are united in their demands and cannot be divided and conquered. Our bargaining unit is 33,000-BCGEU members-strong. That's a lot of workers amplifying each other's voices and exerting pressure on the employer. If everyone works together, there's a good chance we can make the Public Service strike a short but powerful one.

Picketing details

How does picketing work?
Every site that has a picket line will have one or more "picket captains"-members whose job it is to coordinate strike action. Right now, our union is growing the networks of members needed to conduct an effective strike. Before we go on strike, you will be notified of who your picket captains are, and they will work with you and your colleagues to determine scheduling and the physical setup of your picket line.

Our union is developing instructional videos and other materials explaining the details of going on strike, be on the lookout for those materials in the coming weeks.

How much is strike pay? I'm worried I can't afford to forgo my pay-cheque.
Current basic strike pay for full-time workers is $500 a week or 70% of gross pay, whichever is less. Strike pay for workers scheduled to work part-time or on irregular shift schedules is according to a formula set by your elected Provincial Executive. Casual workers will have to provide their picket captains with a breakdown of their hours worked in the last 4 weeks, so they can be scheduled onto the picket line.

For specific worksites targeted for strike activity, strike pay can be set at a higher level as determined by your elected Provincial Executive.

Strike pay is not taxable and there are no deductions. The BCGEU will reimburse your employer for the cost of your benefits during a strike so there will be no disruptions in coverage.

We are making plans to distribute strike pay by electronic funds transfer – EFT. More details will be coming soon so please make sure you have an active Member Portal account including your current personal contact information so we can contact you.

Many BCGEU members are already struggling to pay their bills with their current wages. When our union surveyed public service members in June 2022, almost half of respondents said they are going into debt. This isn't right, and it isn't fair. While strike pay, for many members, will not be as much as your monthly income, remember that the goal is achieve a permanent pay increase.

Failing to win wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), which ensure your wages rise with present and future inflation, is a permanent loss. It will mean falling even further behind financially, and once you've taken a pay cut, it's hard to recoup those losses in future rounds of bargaining.

How many hours do I need to picket per day? 
In order to be eligible for your maximum strike pay entitlement you generally need to perform four hours per day of strike-related duties, or as directed by your picket captain.

If I have a disability that prevents me from walking a picket line, how do I support the strike?
There are many ways to support fellow members on the picket line. If and when the time comes, talk to your picket captain, so you can modify your strike duties to accommodate your needs.

If we go on strike and I work from home, do I need to report to a picket line? 
Yes – strike related duties need to be performed in order to receive strike pay. Please connect with the steward or picket captain at your worksite. 

It is important to note that continuing to work from home (unless you are deemed essential) will be considered crossing a picket line and may impact your employment as BCGEU membership is a condition of employment in the BC Public Service.

The employer and union agree on essential service levels to maintain basic operations subject to the law, and continuing to work at home during a dispute may put these agreements at risk.

The collective support and solidarity of all members are the key to maximizing pressure on the employer and reaching a fair collective agreement.

Can I picket at a different worksite than my own? 
This can sometimes be accommodated, but it depends on the logistics of the strike. Please discuss with your steward or picket captain if and when strike action starts.

What if we are on strike and it is my "flex" day? Do I still picket? How does that affect my pay?
You must perform strike related duties in order to receive strike pay. To get the full $500 for the week, strike related duties need to be performed for each day as required.

If I voted against a strike, do I still have to picket?
Yes, you must picket in order to be paid - you cannot cross the picket line and work unless your job is covered by an essential service designation.

Crossing a picket line is something our union takes very seriously, and those who do may be subject to discipline under the BCGEU Constitution and Bylaws, including having your BCGEU membership removed. Under the terms of our collective agreement, employees are required to become members of the BCGEU and maintain such membership.

Strikes and Leaves/Benefits

What about maternity/parental leaves?
Pre-approved maternity and parental leaves will not be impacted by strike action.

What happens if I have vacation booked? How will a strike affect me?
Vacation which has been preapproved prior to the start of strike action will be honored by the employer.

What about sick leave during a strike?
If you get sick after the strike commences, you are not eligible for sick leave and disability benefits, and you must tell your picket captain that you are sick. You may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. Information about requirements and how to apply can be found at: EI sickness benefits

If my workplace is on strike, and my job is deemed an essential service, am I eligible for STIIP? 
Yes. If your work is an essential service but you become ill or injured the strike will not impact your eligibility for STIIP. In that case, another worker who does the same position would be called in to perform the essential services work.

Will my extended benefits continue while on strike? 
Yes, your benefits will continue during the strike. Our union will reimburse your employer for benefits costs during the period of a strike.

How can I prepare financially for a strike?
To protect your bank account and your family, we recommend members start creating a financial plan.

When a strike notice is issued, the union can provide form letters that members can send to creditors as well as an official letter from the union confirming that members are indeed on strike.

Other steps you can take:

• Talk to your lender - can you get a deferral on your mortgage payment and work out a new payment plan? – many financial institutions have provisions specifically for individuals who are on strike.
• Talk to your insurance company - can you spread out your payments?
• Hold off on risky purchases that could create more costs down the road, if you are able.

If I'm excluded on a TA (temporary assignment), will there be any repercussions of crossing a picket line?
If you are temporarily in an excluded position, you are required to attend work in your excluded position. You may wish to seek additional advice from the PSA on your rights and obligations.

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP

UWU/MoveUP

Special message from your Public Service Bargaining Committee

Last fall, we conducted the most detailed and comprehensive preparations for public service negotiations in BCGEU history. This included reviewing nearly 500 proposals from union locals, 5800 bargaining survey results and polling results from over 5000 members. By engaging in extensive consultation with you, we learned about your challenges, your needs, and your priorities for this round of bargaining.
 
Your direction has been and continues to be clear: you want a fair and equitable contract that addresses the rising cost-of-living and recognizes how critically important public service workers are to British Columbians.
 
Time to catch up and keep up
 
We understand that cost of living (COLA) protection is key to ratifying an agreement. Last month, that message was amplified when 95 per cent of you voted YES in the largest strike vote in our union’s history, giving your bargaining committee an overwhelming strike mandate to stand strong behind our demands. The bottom line is that cost of living protection is required to ensure that our members and their families can catch up and keep up. 
 
As inflation continues to skyrocket – currently reaching 8.1 per cent in B.C. – it erodes workers' spending power. Cost of living protections for wages has become a key issue for all workers, sectors and their unions including the BCGEU. Across the public sector, other unions are engaged in the same fight with similar goals. COLA is a reasonable demand and affordable under the province's fiscal framework. This means that the government will not have to raise taxes to achieve this. MLAs of all parties and minimum wage earners will have wage increases tied to inflation. All workers deserve this.
 
Why is the government’s proposal not acceptable?
 
Simply put, we are not interested in negotiating wage cuts for our members. The government’s current offer on the table is inadequate and shows how out of touch with reality the government is. Anything less than cost-of-living protections is a wage cut. No worker should be expected to take a wage cut. 
 
Your bargaining committee has clearly communicated to government that a signing bonus is not acceptable in this high inflation environment and that it needs to be rolled into a general wage increase that lifts wages into the future. 
 
Our approach to date has been to apply increases on the salary grid retroactive to April 1st of this year to ensure wages match or exceed the rate of inflation in each year of the agreement. The government’s approach seems to be focused on one-time payments, which after taxes, do not provide protections from inflation. We need a collective agreement which meets your needs now and as well as three years from now.
 
Let’s get back to the table
 
While we were not surprised that your employer decided to go around your bargaining committee to communicate directly to you, we find it deeply disappointing that this government would employ a tactic usually employed by right-wing anti-worker government and employers. This approach by the provincial government effectively undermines the bargaining process. We appreciate the hundreds of comments and feedback you have given us since yesterday and throughout this process.
 
We want the government to roll up their sleeves and send their bargaining team back to the table with the mandate to negotiate a fair deal that meets your demands. It’s time to stop playing games. There is a deal to be had at the table and we want to get to work to achieve it. Thank you for your ongoing support.
 
In the news
 
You may have seen BCGEU President Stephanie Smith’s interviews featured in numerous media stories throughout the province yesterday. Here are a few links in case you missed them:

• CTV News
• Global News
• CHEK News
• CBC Early Edition
• Vancouver Sun

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