Job action looms in B.C. as talks collapse with BC General Employees Union
The British Columbia government says it is offering public service workers a new three-year contract with wage increases amounting to almost 11 per cent and a signing bonus of up to $2,500, but the union says it's planning job action.
The government's Public Service Agency says it is working to achieve a fair and reasonable settlement with the 33,000-member B.C. General Employees' Union, but contract talks have broken off and the union says it's making strike plans.
Bobbi Sadler, deputy minister for the agency, says in a statement to union members that with potential job action in the future, she wants to share the employer's wage offer directly with them.
An earlier BCGEU statement says initial discussions were positive, but the government refused to counter the union's latest wage proposal and talks hit an impasse.
Union president Stephanie Smith says a cost-of-living clause and wage protection from inflation are key demands for members of the public service bargaining unit, but the government's offer amounts to a wage cut.
The union statement says the BCGEU is now planning strategic, targeted job action and preparing final essential services with the assistance of the Labour Relations Board.
More than 180 collective agreements covering nearly 400,000 workers must be renewed in B.C. this year.
“Under this offer, the average BCGEU employee would receive wage increases of up to 10.99 per cent over the three-year term of the collective agreement,” Sadler's statement says.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.