The BC General Employees’ Union Expands Job Action Across Government Sites
The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) has announced a further expansion of its job action, impacting various provincial government worksites. The union revealed that employees at BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BC LDB) and cannabis warehouses, as well as head offices, have commenced strike actions as of Monday.
Additionally, five more ministry worksites in Victoria and Vancouver have joined the ongoing job action on the same day. This development brings the total number of public service workers engaged in job action to over 10,000 across 36 sites in the province, including 28 active picket lines, according to the union’s latest update.
The recent escalation follows a series of refusals by workers at liquor and cannabis distributors in the province to undertake overtime work. This move comes after three weeks of continuous job actions aimed at government operations while striving to minimize disruptions for the public.
Paul Finch, the BCGEU president and chair of the public service bargaining committee, expressed the union’s stance on the matter. “With government refusal to return to the negotiating table, public service workers are compelled to take further action to address the disparity,” Finch stated. The union is advocating for a fair wage mandate and is pushing for an 8.25% wage increase over two years, contrasting the government’s offer of 4.5% over the same period.
BC Cannabis Stores, the retail face of BC LDB for cannabis products, has announced a halt on new online orders and the cancellation of orders placed after September 18 in response to the ongoing job action.
As tensions rise between the union and the government, the future trajectory of negotiations remains uncertain, with both parties standing firm on their respective positions.
Keyphrase: BC General Employees’ Union Expansion