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2d ago

B.C. Tables 'Last' Offer as BCGEU Moves to Escalate Public Service Strike

The province has detailed a two-year 4.5% compensation package to press for a settlement.

Members of the British Columbia General Employees' Union picket outside an ICBC driver licensing office, in Surrey, B.C., Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. The union representing thousands of British Columbia public service workers set up picket lines Tuesday at provincial government offices in Victoria, Surrey and Prince George as well as in front of the Royal BC Museum. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Overview

  • The Finance Ministry says its final proposal offers a 4.5% compensation increase over two years, combining general wage hikes and cost-of-living allowances.
  • BCGEU president Paul Finch is scheduled to outline the next phase of job action at a Surrey picket on the fifth consecutive day of lines.
  • The government estimates the union’s full package would require more than $200 million in additional one-time compensation and $437 million in ongoing annual costs.
  • Officials say the union is seeking 15.75% overall, while the BCGEU has previously cited a 4% first-year and 4.25% second-year wage plan plus unspecified allowances.
  • The BCGEU, representing more than 34,000 public-service workers, has mounted pickets at government sites in Victoria, Surrey, Prince George and the Royal BC Museum, with talks stalled since July and priorities including telework access.