Your strike vote result is in – and 72-hours' strike notice is being served  Your strike vote result is in – and 72-hours' strike notice is being served  

We have secured an overwhelming strike mandate in our fight for fair wages, respect and the resources we need to serve the public of B.C. 

BCGEU members working for the BC Public Service have voted 92.7 per cent in favour of taking job action if necessary. Over 86 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot. This emphatic result shows the seriousness of the affordability crisis you're facing and your deep concern over the employer's latest offer. 

Members of the Professional Employees Association (PEA) working for the BC Public Service have also voted in favour of taking job action. 

To maintain the pressure you've built, we will be issuing 72-hours' strike notice to the employer this afternoon- concurrently with the PEA. Job action by both bargaining units could begin as early as Tuesday morning.

What is a 72-hour strike notice and why is it important? 

In B.C. labour law, a 72-hour strike notice is a formal and legally required communication a union must provide to the employer and the BC Labour Relations Board before commencing job action.

Issuing 72-hour strike notice is important because it escalates the pressure you've already put on the employer – through your strike authorization vote, wearing buttons at work, using backgrounds during your employer-facing meetings, publishing to social media and attending rallies. 

Issuing 72-hour strike notice does not necessarily mean all BCGEU members working for the BC Public Service are on strike or that strike action must be taken immediately after the 72-hour period. 

What does our strike notice mean for you?

We know this moment may feel scary and uncomfortable. It may also feel exciting and overdue. Please know that you are not alone. Your bargaining committee has a job action plan and developed teams to support you as we move forward.

If you are part of the bargaining committee's job action plan, you will be informed by email well in advance of your strike duty. You will also be contacted by your picket captain with details and support. 

Sign up for Payworks: Whether you're part of the current job action plan, it is critical that you sign up for Payworks immediately to ensure you are paid for any strike duties you are instructed to complete. To do so, check your inbox for an email from [email protected] and follow the instructions. For further info review the Public Service FAQ about Payworks here. 

Essential services: If you are scheduled by the employer into an essential service position, the employer will notify you by email the day before you're due to work in that position. However, if your worksite is on strike, you must prepare a picket pass and show your pass to a BCGEU picket captain at the picket line and cleared to cross.

If you do not receive an email from your bargaining committee, you are not on strike. But you are still needed: Email your MLA to let them know it's time government got serious about public service. 

For further information, please refer to the Public Service FAQs – if your question is not answered there, please email [email protected].

We will provide more information in the coming days.

NOTE: Moving forward, our union will send bulletins to public service members' personal emails only. It is common during job action for employers to block union communications sent to work emails, and it's important that we can communicate with you. Please log into the BCGEU Member Portal to confirm that your personal email address is up to date and check your personal email regularly. 
 

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