BCGEU serves 72-hour strike notice after 93% of members back job action, citing wage demands and affordability crisis across British Columbia.
Vancouver, B.C. — One of British Columbia’s largest public sector unions has issued a 72-hour strike notice, setting the stage for possible job action next week after members overwhelmingly voted in favor of striking.
The B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), representing more than 34,000 public service workers, said 92.7% of members supported strike action, with 86.4% casting ballots. The union’s current contract expired in April, and negotiations with the provincial public service agency have stalled since July 18.
Union president Paul Finch described the result as a clear mandate:
“This emphatic strike result reflects the seriousness of the affordability crisis our members are facing — the need for fair wages to address that crisis. The message from our members is clear. We are united, and we are ready to take job action.”
Wages and Contract at the Core of Dispute
Talks reportedly broke down over wages, remote work, and a “modernized contract.” The BCGEU has demanded a 4% wage increase in year one and 4.25% in year two, tied to a cost-of-living adjustment. The province’s latest offer, Finch said, was below projected inflation rates, leaving about half of BCGEU members living paycheque to paycheque.
The strike notice means workers could walk off the job as early as 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, barring a breakthrough in talks. Finch did not disclose which members might strike first but noted plans are in place to minimize disruption.
Government Response
B.C. Government House Leader Mike Farnworth assured the public that essential services protecting health and safety would not be disrupted, citing existing agreements. However, he declined to comment on the province’s final wage proposal.
“The right to strike vote and to initiate strike can be and is a normal part of the collective bargaining process. But we also know that the best agreements are always reached in bargaining and negotiations,” Farnworth said.
Wider Labour Context
The BCGEU last staged job action in 2022, when a two-week strike at B.C. Liquor Distribution Warehouses disrupted alcohol and cannabis supply chains.
The union’s strike notice comes just as the Hospital Employees’ Union (HEU) announced a framework agreement with the province for its 60,000 members, aimed at reversing wage cuts imposed two decades ago. While HEU hailed the framework as a step toward correcting “historic wrongs,” the BCGEU criticized the deal as “below inflation and undermining the broader fight for fair wages.”
Meanwhile, the Government Licensed Professionals (GLP), representing about 1,800 engineers, foresters, geoscientists, psychologists, and other specialists, also announced plans to issue a strike notice.
With strike deadlines looming, pressure is mounting on the province and the BCGEU to find common ground before disruptions spread across B.C.’s public services.