Another B.C. public sector union could strike
Posted August 17, 2022 11:39 am.
Last Updated August 17, 2022 6:36 pm.
A union representing civil servants is threatening to walk off the job. The Professional Employees Association (PEA) issued a 72-hour strike notice at noon Wednesday.
More than 1,200 licensed professionals — including engineers, foresters, geoscientists, pharmacists, psychologists, and veterinarians — are represented by the union.
The PEA says negotiations with the government hit in an impasse in May when the two parties failed to see eye-to-eye on vital issues.
“It’s time for the B,C, government to invest in the workers who provide the services that the province relies on,” said Melissa Moroz, labour relations officer with the PEA. ““These licensed professionals are taking job action because they want to see the cost of living addressed at the bargaining table.”
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In June, members voted 92 per cent in favour of a strike.
“These licensed professionals rebuild bridges and roads, monitor BC’s forests and agriculture, and provide care to the province’s most vulnerable youth,” said Moroz . “We need their expertise more than ever to help keep the province safe.”
No exact details of the strike action were released by the union.
The PEA isn’t the only union representing public sectors worker to put their foot down with the government. The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) began strike action at liquor distribution centres Monday afternoon.
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The union and its 33,000 members have previously been offered an 11 per cent wage increase by the province over the next three years under what would be a new collective agreement. Given the rising cost of living, the union has said that isn’t enough.
“Our members have been crystal clear since day one that their priority this round of bargaining was cost of living protection for their wages,” said BCGEU President Stephanie Smith in an earlier statement. “The bottom line is they’re not asking for anything that MLAs don’t already have.”
Their most recent collective bargaining agreement expired in early April and since then talks haven’t really gone anywhere with the province.
The union says a total of almost 400,000 public sector workers have agreements that will, or already have, expired this year.
With files from Sonia Aslam and Denise Wong and Charlie Carey
