Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) librarians were without a contract since December 2020. Bargaining did not begin until September 2021. Seven months after starting bargaining and almost seven weeks after starting job action, members of the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) working as librarians for the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) voted almost 90% in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement. The new four-year agreement is effective from December 31, 2020, to December 31, 2024, and the new terms are retroactive to its start date.

Read the latest statements and bulletins here:

• Media release (April 22) – BCGEU librarians ratify collective agreement with Vancouver Island Regional Library
• Media release (April 12) - Vancouver Island library job action paused as BCGEU librarians consider wage offer
• Background as of April 9
• Media release (April 6) - BCGEU librarians escalate job action, call in VIRL’s Ben Hyman, free community event Saturday
• Media release (March 29) - BCGEU librarians still without offer, all to strike with pickets at targeted VIRL branches
• Media advisory (Mar 14) - BCGEU president to join VIRL librarians on picket line as job action continues
• Media release (Mar 10) - BCGEU librarians continue job action at VIRL Harbourfront branch after one-day pause and no offer from employer
• Media release (Mar 8) - Cowichan branch of VIRL behind picket lines as BCGEU librarians escalate job action
• Media release (Mar 4) - Pickets at VIRL branches Wednesday if no offer made, says BCGEU librarians
• Letter (Mar 3): BCGEU librarians call on VIRL Board of Trustees to #respectVIRLlibrarians
• VIRL Board of Trustees - Contact information and Twitter handles 
• Media release (Mar 2) - Seventy-two hour strike notice filed: librarians on Vancouver Island urge elected officials to act now