BC LifeLabs workers remain on strike and hope to abandon American ownership

This week, LifeLabs workers will be marching on the BC legislature in protest of an American company owning and operating the BC-based laboratory. 

In 2024, the American Fortune 500 company Quest Diagnostics purchased LifeLabs for $1.35 billion. 

LifeLabs is responsible for the majority of outpatient lab work done across the province, and months after the sale, its workers took to the picket lines in order to fight for fair wages and better patient care.

The lab workers’ union, BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), say they are hopeful the Province will make good on their commitment last week to move existing contracts away from American-owned suppliers and companies, but that promise leaves LifeLabs workers unsure of where they stand. 

This is in reference to an announcement made by the Province on April 10th that all US contracts would be cancelled wherever possible.

During this march on the legislature, LifeLabs workers, BCGEU representatives and BC Health Coalition members will call on the BC government to purchase the company back from Quest Diagnostics.

“There is no economic justification to allow a US corporation to provide outpatient diagnostic services in the province,” said Paul Finch, President of the BCGEU. 

“The BCGEU is calling on government to make good on their announcement and bring LifeLabs’ services into the public system.”

Finch added that LifeLabs has made it clear at the bargaining table that Quest is calling the shots and that ever since their takeover of the company, workers and the public have noticed a decline in services. 

According to a recent poll commissioned by the BCGEU 74% of people in BC oppose for-profit American companies owning and controlling health care services in the province.

Additionally, 77% of British Columbians support the provincial government intervening to take medical lab services out of American hands and placing them under public control instead.

“We should not be handing over $300 million a year to a US corporation that refers to patients as customers,” said Ayendri Riddell, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the BC Health Coalition. 

“We need the BC government to bring lab testing fully into the public system to save money and decrease wait times.”

Meanwhile, LifeLabs has said nothing of the strike since February 17th, the day after the strike was initiated by its workers. 

While the strike continues, some LifeLabs locations have closed temporarily, but because it is deemed an essential service, many locations remain open. 

The locations that are still open have a reduced capacity to help patients, which has led to longer wait times for appointments and longer lineups for walk-in testing.

The LifeLabs march on the BC legislature will take place on Wednesday, April 16th.