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  3. Public Service Glossary of Terms: Bargaining 2025

Public Service Glossary of Terms: Bargaining 2025

Last updated: July 30, 2025

Adjudication of an issue done by an arbitrator (a neutral third party) to resolve a dispute. The award issued by the arbitrator is final and binding.
The BCGEU staff representative assigned to coordinate a strike for a BCGEU area.
A group of union members and representatives elected or appointed to negotiate a collective agreement with the employer on behalf of all members.
A legal obligation for both the union and employer to engage in sincere, honest efforts to reach a collective agreement.
Comprises all employees covered by a certification held by the BCGEU and covered by the same collective agreement. In the public service, the BCGEU holds a certification covering over 34,000 workers – one of the largest bargaining units in B.C.  
A legally binding contract between the union and the employer that outlines wages, hours, benefits, working conditions and other terms of employment.

A component is a sub-group within the union that represents members based on their occupation or sector of employment. Each component includes members who do similar types of work or work within the same area of the public or private sector.

BCGEU's public service components:

  • Component 1 – Correctional and Sheriff Services  
  • Component 5 – Retail Stores and Warehouse (BC Liquor and Cannabis Stores and Distribution Centres)
  • Component 6 – Social, Information and Health
  • Component 12 – Administrative Professionals
  • Component 20 – Environmental, Technical and Operations
Facilities, productions and services that must be maintained during a strike to protect health, safety or welfare of the public. These are identified and agreed upon in advance by the union, employer and Labour Relations Board.
When the employer and the union have discussed all bargaining proposals — including monetary items — but reach a deadlock and are unable to make further progress toward an agreement. They may take a strike authorization vote or mediation in an effort to reach a settlement.

Any coordinated, collective action designed to pressure the employer.

Types of job action:

  • Overtime ban: When workers refuse to work overtime as part of a coordinated strike action.
  • Escalating strike: Can take different forms. Either: workers strike for one day, return to work for a period of time, then strike for two days, return to work – repeating this pattern while increasing the number of strike days as time goes on; or a group of workers in a bargaining unit start the strike, then, a few days later, another designated group joins them and, a number of days after that, another group goes out—and so on, until everyone in the unit is on strike.
  • Full strike: All employees in the bargaining unit stop working for as long as it takes to conclude an agreement with their employer.
  • Rotating strike: A series of strikes takes place with one group of employees stopping work as another group returns. This type of strike can be by work group, by geographic area or by occupation.
  • Targeted strike: A key group of employees stop work while all other employees continue to work at non-struck sites.
  • Work to rule: As part of job action, all employees work while adhering strictly to every workplace rule, usually at the slowest pace possible.
A neutral third party appointed to help the union and employer resolve disputes and reach a settlement when bargaining stalls.
A formal agreement between the union and employer that addresses specific issues not covered in the main collective agreement. MOUs are often negotiated during or outside of regular bargaining.
An appointed member from the bargaining unit operating as a coordinator for a designated picket line at a worksite.
A formal offer or demand made by either the union or employer during negotiations, outlining specific terms or changes sought in the collective agreement.
BCGEU members working for the BC Public Service. This refers specifically to the main (provincial government) bargaining unit.
The branch of the provincial government responsible for managing labour relations and human resource strategies across the public service. In B.C., the PSA represents the provincial government in negotiations with public service unions like the BCGEU.
The Public Service Labour Relations Act (PSLRA) is a provincial law in British Columbia that governs labour relations for employees in the B.C. public service. It establishes the legal framework for how unionized public service employees and the provincial government interact, particularly when it comes to collective bargaining, dispute resolution, and labour rights.
A vote held by union members to accept or reject a tentative agreement reached during bargaining. If approved, the agreement becomes binding. If rejected, the bargaining process continues.
Sometimes informally referred to as a “strike vote,” this is a vote held by union members to decide whether to give the union a mandate to strike. A successful vote gives the bargaining committee the legal authority to initiate job action, if necessary.
A proposed new collective agreement to which the bargaining committees for the employer and union have both agreed. Once a tentative agreement is reached, union members vote on whether to ratify (approve) or reject the agreement.
A member who has stepped up to help organize co-workers in support of bargaining. Your worksite contacts are a key resource during the process.