Bargaining update: Impasse reached with employer; prepare for strike vote

Negotiations between your bargaining committee and the provincial government's Public Service Agency (PSA) have reached an impasse. Despite our ongoing efforts, and six months of bargaining, a significant gap remains. We have not seen meaningful progress in wage proposals, a classification system that properly values our work, fair telework, or language to bring the ratio of excluded managers to frontline workers back to a more reasonable level.  

What's happened 

On June 17, the employer tabled their initial wage offer which did not adequately address the priorities you have consistently identified. The week of June 23, your committee tabled a counteroffer - a comprehensive wage proposal for a two-year agreement. This proposal is focused on achieving competitive wages for all members, lifting wages for members at the lower end of the pay scale, and on incorporating targeted occupational adjustments and bonuses into base salaries to provide lasting improvements. 

From the outset, members like you have made it clear: competitive wages, fair access to telework and a modernized contract are essential to achieving a deal in this round of bargaining. 

Unfortunately, despite meetings with the employer this week, the employer's latest wage offer still falls far short of what is needed, and your bargaining committee sees no viable path forward at this time. In the coming days, you will be given a detailed summary of all our proposals to the employer.  

What's next 

As per the bargaining process, hitting impasse means your committee is asking all members working for the BC Public Service to take escalating action to force settlement or mediation. In this case, this includes taking a strike vote. A positive strike vote does not automatically mean a strike will happen. But it is a powerful tool in negotiating the agreement we all need. 

In preparation for a strike vote, your bargaining committee wants to ensure you get answers to any questions you may have about how we came to impasse, job action and strike pay, the voting process, essential services and more. In the coming weeks, we will hold information sessions by telephone or Zoom for all members. More details about these info sessions will be provided shortly. 

Your committee will distribute additional information in the coming weeks, and your worksite contact will also be in touch with you to make sure you are ready to participate in the strike vote.  

Provide your contact info 

To ensure you are informed and prepared for all eventualities, it is critical that our union has your up-to-date personal contact information. Please log in to the BCGEU Member Portal and click "Manage Contact Info" to confirm your personal email address and phone number are up to date.  

New report

Today, in support of our demands, our union will be releasing a report, B.C.'s public service: An investment in public safety and a healthy economy, that demonstrates how investing in public sector workers is both necessary and economically feasible. The report will be available later this morning at https://www.bcgeu.ca/public_service.

We will also be holding a press conference at 11:00 am today, which you can watch via livestream on the BCGEU's Instagram page. 

We remain hopeful that government will reconsider its wage position and return to the bargaining table with an offer that your committee can confidently recommend for ratification. 
 

In solidarity, 

Your Public Service Bargaining Committee
 
Paul Finch, President and Committee Chair
Maria Middlemiss, 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 
Sebastian Kallos, Component 20 Vice-President
Linsay Buss, Lead Negotiator 
Larisa Mills, Staff Representative
Sumiko Marshall, Support Staff

UWU/MoveUP