The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) members are set to escalate their job action starting Tuesday, with workers in various communities across the province joining the picket lines. Locations affected include Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kamloops, Williams Lake, Kelowna, Cranbrook, Nelson, Fort St. John, and Smithers.
Union President Paul Finch emphasized that around 1,000 BCGEU members at these sites will participate in the strike to push for a fair deal from the government. The goal is to minimize the impact on the public, indicating that liquor and cannabis distribution sites will not be immediately affected, although that could change as the job action progresses.
Finch stressed that the union is keeping its strike strategy undisclosed and remains open to all options. He clarified that despite rumors, no other public sector union currently has an agreement in place.
The B.C. Ministry of Finance disclosed that the government proposed a 4.5% compensation increase over two years, whereas the union is seeking 15.75%. This significant gap in demands has led to the ongoing impasse between the two parties.
Finch criticized the government’s counteroffer of 1.5% in the first year and 2% in the second year, stating that it falls short of addressing the members’ needs and implies potential service cuts.
Negotiations between the BCGEU and the government stalled last week, marking the latest setback in reaching a new agreement. The union, representing over 34,000 public service workers, had previously launched job action during the summer of 2022, affecting liquor distribution operations for two weeks.