BCGEU strike grows as government standoff continues
(Image courtesy of CBC)
This week, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) broadened its strike action to additional cities across the province, including Nelson, Williams Lake, Kamloops, and Nanaimo. The escalation follows the union’s decision to launch job action earlier this month, after leaving negotiations for a new contract in July.
Strike is one of the largest in recent BC history by representation
The strike is one of the largest in recent BC history in terms of membership. The BCGEU says it represents more than 34,000 workers, including firefighters, correctional officers, and conservation employees.
Largest Strikes in BC since 2010 by workforce count
BCGEU demands higher wages, cost-of-living adjustments, province demurs
The BCGEU says their demands are an 8.25 percent wage increase over the next two years, cost-of-living adjustments, and equitable access to remote work activities, among many other requests. The reason the union says they are advocating for these changes is due to the affordability crisis in the Lower Mainland, and that current financial compensation and benefits do not cover household expenses.
The province has proposed a 4.5 percent compensation increase over two years, which would include cost-of-living adjustments as well as general wage increases. The BC NDP’s reason for not being more generous with its offer is due to the province’s fiscal situation, facing a deficit of over $10 billion. The BCGEU’s proposed wage and compensation package is expected to carry an ongoing yearly cost of $437 million.
Government workers earn more than private sector workers
According to a study by the Fraser Institute using individual worker data from January 2017 to December 2017, government workers living in BC at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels have a 7.5 percent wage premium, on average, over their private-sector counterparts. When unionization status is taken into account, the premium falls to around four percent. Nationally, the Fraser Institute found in 2023 that government-sector workers had an 8.5 percent wage premium over their private-sector counterparts.
With both the union and the BC government at an impasse, a resolution remains uncertain.
