What’s Ahead in Bargaining? Paul Finch Breaks It Down In a new video update, BCGEU president and chair of the Public Service Bargaining committee, Paul Finch, shares what members can expect as negotiations with your employer resume on Tuesday. He highlights how recent polling has given the bargaining team a clearer picture of members’ top priorities—especially in light of growing economic uncertainty and the rising cost of living. Paul offers insight into how talks may unfold in the coming weeks, particularly with the employer expected to table their monetary offer soon. Once those proposals are on the table, the bargaining committee will assess whether there’s a viable path toward a deal. He also lays out what steps might be taken if the employer’s offer falls short and doesn’t meet members’ expectations.

UWU/MoveUP

Rapid Grievance Tribunal 

So far this round of bargaining, discussions have been focused on key non-monetary proposals. One of the most important to our committee is the Rapid Grievance Tribunal. Here's why:

ISSUE:  

The length of time it takes to settle grievances is too long – especially for simple grievances like:

• union leave denial
• vacation denial
• overtime bypasses
• other, simple, straightforward, time-sensitive matters

Grievances are taking as long as two years to resolve, even when it's a simple matter. Lengthy waits mean that – when they win – members don't actually get the leaves they've been denied, as the days requested have long passed. In these cases, justice delayed is justice denied. As a result, many members have lost confidence in the grievance system. 

PROPOSED SOLUTION:  

In our current system, all grievances follow the same process – whether they are simple or complex. So simple grievances get unnecessarily slowed down, as they don't need lengthy investigations or rely on interpretation of complex matters. 

Separating complex and simple grievances into two streams would help conclude both types more quickly. It is not effective to put costly and limited legal resources into very simple cases. That's why we have proposed a "Rapid Grievance Tribunal" process to facilitate quick settlement of simple grievances in the most informal manner possible.

We want to emphasize that the proposed Rapid Grievance Tribunal would only address grievances of a simple nature, not more complex issues that require investigation such as disciplinary grievances.

Our union's intention behind the proposed rapid grievance tribunal is to: 

• Resolve grievances of a straightforward nature in a timely fashion
• Restore confidence in the administration of our contract 
• Resolve disputes that are otherwise impacting productivity 
• Save the union and the PSA significant money spent in prolonged adjudication of disputes that could be settled more simply. 
• Realize cost-savings for government by addressing loss of productivity, reduced workload, reduced case conference and arbitrator time

Paul Finch, BCGEU President and Chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee, explains more about the need for the proposed rapid grievance tribunal here. 

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 Second Representative
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

In a new video, Paul Finch, BCGEU President and Chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee, gives an update on bargaining, and answers some commonly asked questions from members like you.

One question that many members have raised why we have taken a pause in contract negotiations. Paul outlines the many reasons for which there has been a break, such as the need to consult with members and poll the public, and the volatile nature of the current political and economic landscape.

Paul also reviews some of the key proposals that have been tabled so far during bargaining, including telework and how telework is used, the elimination the Public Service Job Evaluation Plan (PSJEP), and the Rapid Grievance Tribunal.

In the video, Paul reminds members to check out our union's detailed analysis of the B.C. budget and the potential impacts it may have on bargaining.

As mentioned in last week's bulletin, your bargaining committee will be meeting with the employer on April 22-25 in Vancouver and again on April 28-30 in Victoria. Once bargaining resumes, we have more critical work to do on important procedural and non-monetary provision proposals before we tackle the monetary proposals.

P.S.

As you may know, our current collective agreement is set to expire next Monday, March 31st. We want to reassure you that the terms of our agreement will stay in effect until a new one is negotiated and ratified. So as of April 1st, it will be business as usual for you and your coworkers.

This is outlined in Article 37.5 of the collective agreement: "Both parties shall adhere fully to the terms of this agreement during the period of bona fide collective bargaining." It should also be noted that we will be bargaining for any wage lift to be retroactive to April 1^st 2025.

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 Second Representative
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

Bargaining dates confirmed for April

Your bargaining committee will be meeting with the employer on April 22-25 in Vancouver and again on April 28-30 in Victoria.

The focus of bargaining so far has been on non-monetary proposals – these are issues that don't have a direct monetary cost (check out past bulletins on your bargaining hub for more details on discussions so far). Monetary negotiations deal with wages, benefits, and other issues with a monetary cost - both sides usually prefer to begin these discussions once the non-monetary proposals have been agreed to. The employer has not yet addressed key non-monetary items. We hope to be able to update you on non-monetary movement after returning to the table in April.

Your bargaining committee represents you at the table and pushes for the priorities that you've identified throughout the pre-bargaining period. During the negotiation process, we will share as much information as we can. We often don't share the specifics of any offers on the table because we want to go into bargaining decisive and determined. If we run into issues at the table, that's when we come back and ask you what you're willing to fight for - what's a must and what can we confidently accept on your behalf.

Over the next few weeks, we will be mobilising workplace contacts and preparing opportunities for member education and townhall meetings. Stay tuned for more information!

BCGEU's Budget Analysis

Our union is closely monitoring the evolving economic landscape and its impact on our members and bargaining conditions. As part of that we've recently completed a detailed analysis of the provincial budget. Read our union's take on the B.C. budget and what it means for members.

In addition to an analysis of the U.S. tariff impacts and B.C.'s response, the document offers a deep dive into budget highlights such as potential implications for public service and public sector bargaining, emergency readiness and wildfire response, and government's housing strategy.

Reminder – update your contact information

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 important to make sure that our union has your up-to-date contact information.

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 Second Representative 
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

The sixth week of public service bargaining concluded in Victoria on Friday. We reached agreement on the use of artificial intelligence and automated work, achieved language regarding our commitment to reconciliation, and continued work on the component agreements. The employer has refused to negotiate meaningful language changes on key issues such as reasonable parameters on telework and electronic monitoring. The committee stands firm on these issues. 

VIDEO: Paul Finch outlines the significance of MOU 1 
Watch BCGEU President Paul Finch, who also serves as Chair of the Public Service Bargaining Committee, clarify some key points about Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 1, which covers job security. Paul explains why the renewal of this MOU is a significant development at the bargaining table, especially following government's two recent hiring freeze announcements.

Next steps
Both parties will be taking a scheduled break and won't return to the bargaining table until April. We will continue to send regular email bulletins containing useful information, resources and education about the bargaining process. 

Your current collective agreement expires on March 31st, but the terms and conditions of employment outlined in the expired agreement will continue to apply until your new contract is negotiated and put in place. That means that April 1st will be business as usual for you and your coworkers unless you hear otherwise from our union.

This break in bargaining is an intentional pause to carefully plan and strategize,especially given the current uncertain economic climate. In the meantime, we will continue to work behind the scenes to prepare next steps, including carrying out research, launching polling to take a temperature check of members and the public, plan for member town halls and webinars, and conduct a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of the provincial budget, the US tariffs, and other external economic factors.

Meet your bargaining committee
Your bargaining committee consists of elected members of our union – members like you. Read about each member of the committee, learn more about their background and what inspires and motivates them this round of bargaining and throughout their union activism.

Pink Shirt Day: Wednesday, February 26
Pink Shirt Day is an important reminder that bullying and harassment have no place in our workplaces. Unions play a critical role in combating workplace bullying and harassment. Through collective bargaining, unions can secure anti-harassment protections, enforcing workplace rights, and hold employers accountable for fostering respectful workplaces. 

On Pink Shirt Day, the Public Service Bargaining Committee members wore pink to show their ongoing commitment to ensuring all workers have safe, inclusive, and supportive workplaces.



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 Second Representative
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

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

By popular request, we've made the decision to shift our weekly bargaining updates to Monday mornings rather than Friday afternoons. Many members have told us this would give them better opportunity to read and talk with their colleagues about the updates. However, if there are urgent happenings at the table, those will be sent when they are needed.

Steady progress on non-monetary continues as the third week of bargaining wraps

The third week of public service bargaining concluded last week in Victoria, and our bargaining committee continued to make progress on negotiations on non-monetary items that BCGEU members have set as priorities. Bargaining is on a break this week, and your bargaining committee will meet with our employer – B.C.'s Public Service Agency – again on February 18th in Burnaby.

Throughout bargaining, we've received many questions from members about who exactly we're bargaining with and who makes the decisions on our employer's side. To learn more about this, check out this week's video update where Paul Finch gives a run-down of the various bodies involved: the BC Public Service Agency (the PSA), the Public Sector Employers' Council (PSEC), and more.

Also, in last week's bulletin, we had shared an FAQ about the Job Evaluation Plan and why it needs to be replaced, but we heard from many members that they had missed it in the email. Here's the link again:
Public Service Job Evaluation Plan FAQ

Remember: If you know of a co-worker who has not been receiving these bargaining updates, please remind them to sign up to get updates by email. All members should ensure that their contact information is current in order to receive important regular updates during the bargaining process. 

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

We recognize that this morning’s email from Shannon Salter—referring to budget restraints, “reviewing reporting structures” and “considering opportunities for streamlining”—may have caused concern for quite a few members. 
 
This is a time of uncertainty and struggle for many of us, and we want to assure you that our union is actively engaged in this matter.
 
These economic forecasts will not impact our strategy as bargaining kicks off next week. We remain committed to negotiating a strong agreement that addresses members’ needs. 
 
Delivering on government’s commitments to effective public services starts with investing in frontline public sector workers who deliver the services B.C. residents rely on every day.
 
In recent years, excluded management positions have grown at nearly twice the rate of frontline roles (51.9% to 27.9%). Redirecting funds from management to frontline workers isn’t just common sense—it’s the most effective way to cut costs while protecting the essential services that the people who live in British Columbia depend on.
 
The deficit that B.C. is facing is the result of large infrastructure spending—which, while necessary, ends up costing taxpayers more due to inefficient procurement processes—and tax breaks on resource revenues that shortchange B.C. residents of their fair share of our province’s wealth. It is not a result of overspending on public employees.
 
BCGEU members have been falling behind the rising cost of living over the past decade, and our union is heading to the bargaining table to reverse that trend and ensure we’re strengthened for years to come.
 
When times are tough, robust public services must be there to support our neighbours and communities.
 
In solidarity,
 
Your BCGEU 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
Sumiko Marshall, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUp