Overview
- The Professional Employees Association says more than 1,600 government-licensed professionals will strike full time, with essential roles such as hydrologists and child and youth psychologists remaining at work.
- Roughly 25,000 B.C. General Employees’ Union members have been off the job for seven weeks across about 20 ministries, Crown corporations and agencies.
- The PEA describes this as its longest job action in 51 years and cites wage erosion, reimbursement of required licensing fees and reliance on external contractors as key concerns.
- Wage terms are contentious: the PEA reports the province held to a 3.5 per cent general increase over two years, BCGEU leaders say an earlier offer was four per cent, and the premier cites up to five per cent that the union says does not raise general wages; the BCGEU has asked for eight per cent over two years.
- Premier David Eby thanks residents for their patience and says the government wants a fair deal within fiscal limits, as industry warns of permitting delays and retailers face supply challenges for liquor and cannabis.