BC government professionals to escalate strike after contract talks break down

The Professional Employees Association (PEA) says it plans to increase strike action this week after contract talks with the BC government fell apart for the second time in recent months.

A press conference is set for Thursday, October 16th. PEA Executive Director Melissa Moroz will be joined by BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) President Paul Finch and BC Federation of Labour President Sussanne Skidmore to share details about the expanded job action.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at 525 and 545 Superior Street in Victoria.

The PEA returned to the bargaining table earlier this week to go over the government’s latest offer, a 3.5% wage increase over two years. However, the union says talks ended quickly when no revised or better proposal was given.

Moroz said the government’s stance fails to recognize the value of licensed professionals across the province. “Our members are experts whose work is essential to the functioning of British Columbia,” she said in a release.

The current strike is now in its seventh week, making it the longest in the PEA’s 51-year history. More than 1,000 PEA members and nearly 25,000 BCGEU members are on picket lines across BC.

Both unions say they still meet all essential service requirements. However, they warn that the ongoing dispute is starting to impact communities that depend on public services.

Related: BCGEU job action disrupts ICBC driver licensing services across BC

The PEA represents over 1,800 licensed professionals, including engineers, foresters, geoscientists, psychologists, and other specialized experts in the BC public service.

The union began bargaining with the Public Service Agency on May 27th, but negotiations have repeatedly stalled over wages, reimbursement of professional licensing fees, and the province’s reliance on outside contractors.

Union members voted in favour of strike action on August 29th, issuing 72-hour notice before joining the BCGEU on the picket lines on September 2nd.