Tomorrow, April 1st, marks the expiry of the 18th Main and Component collective agreements for B.C.’s public service.
 
The employer – the provincial government’s Public Service Agency – confirmed with your bargaining committee yesterday that they are prepared to resume negotiations early next week with a revised monetary offer. As a result, we have scheduled talks to resume in Vancouver April 5th to the 8th. 
 
While the collective agreements expire tomorrow, it is important to remember that under the terms of the Main Agreement – Article 37.5 - Agreement to Continue in Force – both parties have agreed to fully adhere to the terms of the agreement while collective bargaining is ongoing. As we have previously advised, that means April 1st is business as usual for you and your coworkers unless you hear otherwise from our union.
 
We remain steadfast on achieving a fair wage increase, as we've heard loud and clear from you that it is critical to reaching an agreement our members can ratify. As you know, any wage offer that does not provide cost of living protection (COLA) is essentially a wage cut. Our members deserve COLA protections, and government can afford them. 
 
The findings reported this week on the Work Environment Survey (WES) clearly support our arguments for cost of living protections. The survey indicated that pay and benefits satisfaction in the public service showed the most significant decrease with a drop of three points from 2020.
 
While we return to the bargaining table next week, we will also continue with essential services negotiations and strike vote preparations as a standard part of the bargaining process.

We remain committed to getting a fair deal, but we will continue to prepare for every eventuality.
 
Important: Is your contact information up to date?
 
We're asking all members in the public service to update your contact information in the Member Portal before your contract expires end of day today, March 31st. 
 
Click here to visit the BCGEU member portal to review and update your contact information. 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. Thank you.

 
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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP

VICTORIA, B.C. – Negotiations between the BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) and the provincial government's Public Service Agency (PSA) will be resuming after a 15 day break. The current agreement between the parties, which covers more than 32,000 union members, expires on March 31, 2022.
 
"We always say 'where there's talk, there's hope" so getting invited back to the table is definitely positive," said BCGEU president Stephanie Smith. "Our members have been clear from the beginning that cost-of-living protection for wages was a top priority this round of bargaining and they haven't wavered on that. We're hopeful that the employer's invitation is a sign that they have heard that message."
 
Prior to the stall, the parties had made significant progress on a range of important issues including improved processes to resolve member issues and complaints, stronger language around bullying and sexual harassment, as well as improvements to occupational and health and safety language.
 
Talks between the two parties stalled on March 10^th over a significant gap in wage proposals. The union's bargaining committee is ready to return to the negotiating table on short notice as soon as the PSA has a revised wage proposal to bring to the table.
 
Dates for upcoming bargaining sessions have not yet been set.

-30-

Contact: [email protected]

UWU/MoveUP

We've reached the end of the 7th week since the start of public service bargaining. After 15 days away from the table, the employer has invited us back and we are in the process of scheduling new dates. We will inform you as soon as details are worked out.

Your bargaining committee remains steadfast on achieving a fair wage increase, as we've heard loud and clear from you that it is critical to reaching an agreement our members can ratify. As you know, any wage offer that does not provide cost of living protection (COLA) is essentially a wage cut. Our members deserve COLA protections, and government can afford them. 

While we are scheduling new bargaining dates, the contract expiration of March 31^st is fast approaching. You may be wondering what will happen on April 1^st? The answer is, April 1^st is business as usual for you and your coworkers unless you hear otherwise from our union.

You may also be wondering what happens to the essential services negotiations and strike vote preparations that have already started. We will continue with all of that work as a standard part of the bargaining process.

We remain committed to getting a deal and optimistic about what can be achieved once we are back at the table with the employer, but we will continue to prepare for every eventuality.

Remember: 

We're asking all members in the public service to update your contact information in the Member Portal before your contract expires on March 31st. 

If you don't yet have a Member Portal account, click here to sign up today.

Already have a Member Portal account? You can log in here. If you've forgotten your password, you can reset it here. It's more important than ever to make sure that our union has your up-to-date contact information.

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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

Last Friday marked the end of the sixth week of negotiations between the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee and the provincial government’s Public Service Agency (PSA).
 
As we have previously reported, talks have been stalled as we wait for the government to authorize a revised wage offer. The employer has reiterated that the wage proposals tabled previously were the maximum authorized. Your bargaining committee is unanimous that we need a wage proposal which addresses the dramatic increases in the cost of living as well as the other key proposals we have tabled with the employer.
 
This morning, Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President and Chair of the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee spoke with CKNW’s Michael Smyth about public service bargaining. “What we’re looking for and what we think is very reasonable are cost of living adjustments… Our members over the last two years have learned their worth, they know their value, they know their contributions to our province, and they know that they are critically important in the economic recovery as we move forward.”
 
Your committee remains committed to our goal of reaching a tentative collective agreement before March 31st when the current agreement expires. We are in regular contact with the government negotiators, and we are able to resume bargaining on short notice once we are advised that government has authorized a more realistic wage offer. We have heard loud and clear from members that a fair wage increase is key to ratifying an agreement. As inflation rises and the cost-of-living skyrockets, public service workers are falling further behind. This is our challenge in these negotiations.
 
While our goal continues to be a negotiated deal by month end, we have begun the process of discussing essential services with the employer. Under the Labour Code, a union and employer must address the issue of which services are essential in the event of a strike or lockout. The negotiation of essential services is a normal part of the negotiation process.
 
Here are some of the typical questions members may have about essential services.
 
What are essential services?
 
It is important to note that essential services under the Labour Relations Code are not the same as those which have been identified by government through the current pandemic. Essential services are determined by a specific definition that is unique to the Labour Relations Code.
 
Section 72(2) of the Labour Relations Code defines essential services as “facilities, productions and services” that are “necessary or essential to prevent immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of the residents of British Columbia.” 
 
How are essential services designated?
 
The employer and the union will first attempt to negotiate essential service levels without the intervention of the Labour Relations Board (LRB). While the union has been working diligently to prepare for these negotiations, the size and scope of B.C.’s Public Service makes this a significant undertaking that will take considerable time.
 
At this point in time, your bargaining committee awaits the employer’s disclosure of organizational material that is necessary to further address essential service issues. We also understand that ministries are in the process of identifying their designates to lead this process.
 
Typically, the next step would involve the employer identifying their essential service requests to the union. We will then weigh these requests and agree or provide a counterproposal, depending on the circumstances.
 
What if no agreement can be reached?
 
Where the parties disagree about any aspect of essential services designations either party may apply to the Chair of the LRB to investigate, mediate and possibly adjudicate the issue.
 
The LRB has identified the use of essential services as serving two goals: (1) avoiding immediate and serious danger to the health, safety or welfare of British Columbia; and (2) protecting the meaningful nature of collective bargaining and strike action.
 
When will a strike vote be held?
 
Our goal continues to be a negotiated agreement which addresses the key issues you have identified. Timing of a strike vote will be decided by your bargaining committee if we feel a negotiated agreement is not possible. In any event, a strike vote will not be called until the current agreement expires on March 31^st. Again, a strike vote does not mean that there will be a strike. In fact, the history of labour relations in BC shows that often the stronger the strike vote is the less likely it is that a union will need to exercise the vote.
 
What is the timing of essential services negotiations?
 
The complexity, size and scope of the BC Public Service means that the negotiation of essential services may take some time. Your bargaining committee may decide to conduct a strike vote while essential service negotiations are underway.
 
Member Portal - My Account Improvements

Our union just released an improved version of the Member Portal to give new and existing members greater ability to manage their personal contact information. The changes consolidate all personal contact information into a new My Account section to enable members to manage multiple emails, phone numbers and personal addresses. All members should ensure that their contact information is current to receive important regular updates during the bargaining process. 
 
In the coming days, further bulletins will address other issues relating to strike vote preparations. 


 
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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP

This morning, BCGEU President and Chair of the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee spoke with CKNW's Michael Smyth about public service bargaining. "What we're looking for and what we think is very reasonable are cost of living adjustments… Our members over the last two years have learned their worth, they know their value, they know their contributions to our province, and they know that they are critically important in the economic recovery as we move forward."

Please click this link to listen to Stephanie Smith on CKNW

UWU/MoveUP

VICTORIA, B.C. – Negotiations between the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) and the provincial government’s Public Service Agency (PSA) have stalled over a significant gap in wage proposals. The current agreement between the parties, which covers more than 32,000 union members, expires on March 31, 2022.
 
“We have made good progress so far on some very important issues that will substantially improve the working lives of our members,” said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president and chair of the union’s bargaining committee. “But we came to the table carrying a clear message from our members to their employer—cost of living protection is the price of admission for a deal this round. When we exchanged monetary packages last week there was a gaping chasm between what our members need and what the PSA was offering so we’re stalled.”
 
As inflation rises and the cost-of-living skyrockets in communities across the province, public service workers are falling further and further behind. And there’s no end in sight—this week’s inflation numbers from Statistics Canada are expected to be higher.
 
“BC is a beautiful province but it is expensive to live here and it’s getting more expensive every day,” said Smith. “The bottom line is any wage offer that doesn’t include cost of living protection (COLA) is a wage cut and no worker should be expected to take a wage cut—especially not the public service workers who kept our families safe and our province operating over everything the last two years has thrown at us.”
 
The BCGEU bargaining committee sees the stall as a temporary setback and remains optimistic about reaching a deal at the bargaining table before the current agreement expires.
 
“Our union has a long-standing and very constructive working relationship with the PSA,” said Smith. “We’ve been bargaining agreements and solving problems together for almost 50 years. I am confident that if the PSA can revise their wage offer, we can get a deal BCGEU members will ratify.”
 
Before pausing negotiations, the parties made significant progress on a range of issues BCGEU members also identified as important including improved processes to resolve member issues and complaints, stronger language around bullying and sexual harassment, improvements to occupational and heath and safety language. The union’s bargaining committee is ready to return to the negotiating table on short notice as soon as the PSA has a revised wage proposal to bring to the table.
 
 
 

UWU/MoveUP

Negotiations between the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee and the provincial government’s Public Service Agency (PSA) were to resume for the sixth week of bargaining this morning in Victoria. However, the employer informed your committee that they do not have a revised wage offer, reiterating that the amounts tabled last week were the maximum authorized.
 
We have heard loud and clear from members that a fair wage increase is key to ratifying an agreement. As inflation rises and the cost of living skyrockets, public service workers are falling further behind. And there’s no end in sight. We expect that this week’s inflation numbers from Statistics Canada will show another increase. That means that any wage offer that does not provide cost of living protection (COLA) is essentially a wage cut.  COLA is the bare minimum to ensure that our members and their families can keep up. 
 
Our members deserve a fair and equitable contract that addresses the spiralling cost of living. And government can afford to fund our wage demands without raising taxes—B.C. has the lowest provincial debt (as a percentage of GDP) of any province in Canada. Therefore, without a revised wage proposal from the employer, talks are stalled. 

We remain committed to reaching a deal at the bargaining table and will be available to negotiate until the agreement expires on March 31st. The employer has until then to table a revised wage proposal. In the meantime, we have advised the employer that we need to begin negotiations for essential services. Under the Labour Code, the union and employer must address the issue of which services are essential in the event of a strike or lockout. Should the employer not table a revised wage offer by month end, your committee believes we will need to begin the process of conducting a strike vote to back our demands.
 
Read about the details of last week’s negotiations when monetary packages were exchanged here.
  
Member Portal - My Account Improvements

Our union just released an improved version of the Member Portal to give new and existing members greater ability to manage their personal contact information. The changes consolidate all personal contact information into a new My Account section to enable members to manage multiple emails, phone numbers and personal addresses. All members should ensure that their contact information is current to receive important regular updates during the bargaining process. 


 
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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Lead Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff
 
 

UWU/MoveUP

Week 5 of public service negotiations resumed this week with the BCGEU Public Service Bargaining Committee and the provincial government’s Public Service Agency (PSA) exchanging complete monetary packages. As we have been telling the government bargaining committee since day one, compensation is the critical piece to achieving a renewed collective agreement.
 
The economic and political instability we witness daily has driven inflation in Canada and elsewhere to heights we have not seen for decades. Canadian inflation hit 5.1% last month, and is expected to increase for the next few months at least.
 
To protect your wages from inflation and general uncertainty, your committee has tabled a proposal for a two year agreement with cost of living protections – COLA – in each year.
 
Your committee believes both the shorter term of agreement and COLA protections are prudent. We are also well aware that COLA protections are becoming more common in collective agreements and employment contracts. In fact, annual increases in the minimum wage are tied to inflation starting this year, MLA wage increases have been tied to inflation since 2007 (with their next COLA increase due on April 1^st, 2022), and even annual allowable rent increases in B.C. are linked to inflation.
 
Given the contents of the government’s budget and fiscal plan announced February 22^nd, 2022, we also know that COLA protection for public service members is affordable for this government.
 
Despite those facts, the employer’s wage proposal fell well short of offering such protections to BCGEU members. In fact, there is a massive chasm between the employer’s initial wage proposal and what you’ve told us you are willing to accept. To preserve the integrity of negotiations, we can’t disclose specifics while we are at the bargaining table. You will be provided with all of the information before you are asked to make a decision on how to proceed.
  
The employer’s committee told us when they tabled their proposal that the amounts tabled were the maximum they were authorized to present.
 
Overall, negotiations have been productive and cooperative. However, your committee has heard you loud and clear: cost of living protections are critical to achieving the agreement you deserve and will be able to ratify. Because of this, your committee has decided to pause negotiations with the employer until next week. We have asked the employer’s committee to use the time to seek new instructions, and more money, from the government. The government’s response to this request will determine our next steps. We need a renewed collective agreement that addresses B.C.’s rising cost of living and values and respects the efforts of members who provide critically important services for the public.
 
Your bargaining committee will continue to work on our package during the break and negotiations are scheduled to resume in Victoria on March 14^th, 2022 for our sixth week of talks.
 
REMINDER: It is important that your bargaining committee can contact members to communicate important information about the bargaining process. Please check with your coworkers to ensure they are receiving these important updates. Log in to update information here.


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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Chief Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP

The fourth week of public service bargaining has wrapped for the week of March 1^st in Victoria. Your bargaining committee will meet with the employer – B.C.’s Public Service Agency – again next week in Vancouver.
 
Negotiations of non-monetary issues continue to be productive. Your bargaining committee has made progress on the following collective agreement language:

• Improvements to the process to post auxiliary seniority lists electronically
• Expansion of the use of cross ministry eligibility lists
• Improvements to the adjudication process for sexual harassment complaints
• Agreement to renew employment security provisions
• Agreement to maintain the Liquor Distribution Branch’s retail and distribution system as part of the public service 

Your committee heard loud and clear from members in all components that compensation was going to be critical to achieving a deal. We haven’t forgotten and will be exchanging monetary packages with the employer next week.
 
VIDEO: Bargaining 101
 
Bargaining can be a long and complex process. To help members better understand what’s involved, we’ve produced a video explaining each step of bargaining. The video features members of your bargaining committee and is indexed by topic, so that each link that goes directly to the start of each individual topic: 

• Determining Bargaining Priorities
• At the Bargaining Table
• Reaching Impasse: Escalation and Job Action
• Voting on a tentative agreement
• A Deal is Reached

REMINDER: Your bargaining committee needs to be able to communicate important information about the bargaining process. Please check with your coworkers to ensure they are receiving these updates. Log in to update your information here. It’s important that we have your personal email address and personal cell phone number.
 
Your bargaining committee will continue updating you as bargaining proceeds and will keep you informed every step of the way.
 
 
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
Cynthia Mepham-Egli, Component 6 Acting First Vice-Chairperson
Maria Middlemiss, Vice President - Component 12
Matt Damario, Component 12 First Vice-Chairperson
Robert Davis, Vice President - Component 20
Michael Eso, Secretary and Chief Negotiator
Lisa Lane, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP