BCGEU, province resuming talks; union members remain on strike

The BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) says bargaining with the province is expected to resume soon. But in the meantime, its members will continue strike action.

Calling it a “significant development,” the BCGEU says it has accepted an invitation from the Public Service Agency to get back to the bargaining table.

It says its current job action, which includes pickets up at four BC Liquor Distribution Centres, will continue. The strike has resulted in a tightened supply of alcohol in the province. There is also an overtime ban, which applies to all workers in the B.C. public service but not union members in the BC Wildfire Service for the duration of the season.

The union says it wants to “maintain pressure” on the employer.

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Overtime, in non-emergency situations, “can mask the true impact” of issues such as understaffing, high turnover, and excessive workloads, the BCGEU has previously said. It added reliance on overtime isn’t sustainable and that it can have a detrimental and dangerous effect on employees and services.

BCGEU members have been working without a collective agreement since April 1. Negotiations began this February, though the union says “bargaining reached an impasse on April 6.”

Ninety-five-per-cent of union members voted in favour of strike action in June.

With files from Dean Recksiedler and Hana Mae Nassar