The Association of Professional Employees, which represents 1,200 licensed professionals including agronomists, engineers, foresters, geoscientists, pharmacists, psychologists and veterinarians, said it was ready to join the BCGEU-specific strike that began Monday.
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kate de rosa
Posted on August 17, 2022•4 minute read
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With nearly 400,000 public sector workers negotiating with the government over wages this year, experts say the BCGEU strike could have a ripple effect as unions seek wages that keep pace with inflation.
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More BC Public Sector Employees Threaten to Strike as BCGEU Hiring Drive Continues back to video
The Association of Professional Employees said it may join the British Columbia General Employees Union in picketing after the union representing state-licensed professionals issued a 72-hour strike notice Wednesday at noon.
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The union, which represents 1,200 professionals including agronomists, engineers, foresters, geoscientists, pharmacists, psychologists and veterinarians, said it was encouraged by the BCGEU selective strike that began on Monday.
"BCGEU is at the forefront of placing shares in liquor distribution plants," said Melissa Moroz, labor relations officer for the Association of Professional Employees. "We will add to that momentum and that escalation of jobs."
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Moroz did not elaborate on what a legal strike would look like.
The union began negotiations with the Public Services Agency on April 11 and reached an impasse on May 16, the union said, when wage increases offered by the government failed to address the rising cost of living. Union members voted 92 percent in favor of the strike in June.
The union is asking for a 5 percent pay increase in each of three years or a cost-of-living adjustment, whichever is greater, Moroz said.
"People don't join a union to go back" on the cost of living, he said.
Moroz said the professional employees are rebuilding bridges and roads, overseeing B.C.'s forests and agriculture. and providing care to vulnerable youth. Under the Labor Relations Law, essential workers such as pharmacists and psychologists cannot strike, he said.
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The BCGEU, which represents 33,000 provincial government employees, is in its third day of a selective strike, with 950 wholesale and liquor distribution workers protesting. This means that no alcoholic beverages or cannabis products are distributed in B.C. business, which worried the hospitality industry.
About 50 people from 10 different unions protested outside the Liquor Distribution Branch Victoria wholesale customer service center on Wednesday.
As she honked at passing cars, BCGEU President Stephanie Smith said that because BCGEU was the first to go out and start negotiations, her actions set the tone for other unions fighting for better wages.
"Maybe we are like the first dominoes," he said. The ball is now in the government's court, but "the silence has been deafening."
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BCGEU's negotiating team rejected the Public Service Agency's latest offer of a 10.99 percent wage increase over three years plus a one percent cost-of-living adjustment. Employees would also receive a $2,500 signing bonus.
The Treasury Department said the cost-of-living adjustment "will vary somewhat in the public sector depending on each bargaining unit's average hourly wage because the mandate is designed to provide additional assistance to lower-paid workers who are most affected during periods of high inflation.
The union wants wages linked to inflation, which it says is a deal offered to lawmakers.
Labor expert Mark Thompson, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia's Sauder School of Business, said that with the Professional Employees Association threatening to strike, it is clear that pressure is mounting on the government to provide benefits that keep up with the rising cost of living.
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The BCGEU will try to match the deal with Sea to Sky bus drivers in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, Thompson said, which provides a 13.5 percent pay increase over five years plus a signing bonus and cost-of-living clause. .
The union, Unifor, praised the "innovative" adjustment recommended by special ombudsman Vince Ready, which gives workers extra pay if inflation outpaces worker raises.
"What union would say to its members, when inflation hit 7 percent, 'let's settle for three and a half percent for three years?'" Thompson asked. “They would take them out of the city on the railway. It is funny."
Almost all of the 400,000 unionized workers in the provincial public sector have their contracts expired this year.
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The Hospital Employees Union, which represents more than 50,000 healthcare workers, said that "despite strong momentum at the bargaining table" it would take a break from negotiations in solidarity with the BCGEU.
The Finance Ministry did not provide specific information on how much the three-year 10.99 percent wage increase offered to the BCGEU would cost taxpayers.
However, he says the salaries of the province's 400,000 public sector employees cost $38.6 billion, or more than half the province's budget. A one percent increase for all unionized employees in the public sector would cost about $311 million a year, the Treasury Department said.
kderosa@postmedia.com
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FAQs
Is BCGEU striking? ›
The largest union in B.C. said it has reached a new, tentative contract agreement with the B.C. Public Service Agency after seven months of negotiations and a two-week strike.
Do public sector employees have the right to strike? ›No person working for the federal government, state, or local public employer has a right to strike. The National Labor Relations Act protects the right of private-sector workers to strike and provides employees with other protections as well.
How much money do you get for strike pay? ›Striking workers will begin receiving strike pay starting Wednesday at approximately $75 a day, capped at $375 a week – far less than what most of these workers get paid regularly. Strike pay is non-taxable income.
What is the cola for 2023 in BC? ›Retired members can expect to receive a 6.9 per cent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) effective January 1, 2023.
What is the BCGEU fighting for? ›The BCGEU is recognized as a leader in fighting for women's rights in the workplace and the community. The BCGEU has a long and proud herstory of representing women member, who presently make up two-thirds of the total BCGEU membership.
Is the UC strike ongoing? ›University of California graduate student workers end strike, ratify three-year contracts. Graduate student researchers and academic student workers at the University of California voted this week to approve new contracts, ending their six-week strike today (Dec. 23).
What states allow public employees to strike? ›There is no federal law giving public-sector workers the right to strike, but a dozen states have enacted laws giving public-sector workers certain strike rights, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
Why should all employees have the right to strike? ›Functionally, strikes provide workers with the bargaining power to drive fair and meaningful negotiations, offsetting the inherent inequalities of bargaining power in the employer-employee relationship. The right to strike is essential in preserving and winning rights.
What are the reasons why workers go on strike? ›Most often, strikes concern financial and labor disagreements. Including wages, hours, time off, raises, promotions, health benefits, and retirement benefits. Strikes can also arise from allegations of unsafe working conditions or unfair labor practices that violate state or federal labor laws.
Do workers still earn wages during a strike? ›Are Workers Paid While on Strike? When a worker chooses to go on strike, that person is not entitled to a normal paycheck from their employer. However, many unions will have a strike fund that will help striking employees meet their basic financial needs.
Do you get paid on a day that you strike? ›
So what happens to your income when you go on strike? Well, to put it bluntly, it stops. It stops until the strike is called off, that is. As long as you are away from your workplace for while your union is on strike, you will not be paid by your employer.
Can I refuse to cross a picket line Canada? ›Your rights when another union pickets
You have the right to refuse to cross a legal picket line without fear of discipline. A picket line is considered legal unless it is found to be illegal either by a Labour Relations Board ruling or by the courts. An employer does not get to decide the legality of a picket line.
Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will increase by 8.7% in 2023. This is the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) required by law. The increase will begin with benefits that Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2023.
What is COLA for july 2023? ›Effective July 1, 2023, the COLA rate is 2.90% for those with a retirement date on or before July 1, 2022. The COLA for UC-PERS Plus 5 benefit recipients is also 2.90% (set as the same as the COLA for UCRP benefit recipients with a retirement date of October 1, 1991).
Why is the BCGEU going to strike? ›The B.C. General Employees' Union (BCGEU) is currently seeking a deal that would protect 33,000 of its members who work for direct government against inflation and the rising cost of living. The union, which has 86,000 members in total, has also cited workload and staffing as issues.
What is the new BCGEU contract? ›April 1, 2023 general wage increase for BCGEU public service members will be 6.75% - BC General Employees' Union (BCGEU) Our current collective agreement – ratified in October 2022 – includes wage protections that adjust our year two general wage increase according to the impact of inflation in the previous 12 months.
Who belongs to the BCGEU? ›The British Columbia General Employees' Union (BCGEU) is a trade union in British Columbia, Canada which represents over 85,000 members. The union employs over 200 servicing and administrative staff in 12 area offices across the province and at the Burnaby head office.
How long is the UC strike expected to last? ›| 2022 University of California academic workers' strike | |
|---|---|
| Date | November 14, 2022 - December 23, 2022 |
| Location | University of California campuses, California, United States |
| Goals | Increased wages Increased benefits |
| Methods | Strike action Work stoppage Picketing |
Strike benefits are $400 per week in strike assistance, along with medical benefits in the event that UC withholds healthcare benefits.
What is the largest University strike? ›
Academic workers in California have ended a nearly six-week strike, described as the largest ever to hit US higher education, after approving a “landmark” agreement for higher wages on Friday.
Which states ban public sector unions? ›“State legislators in Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin launched unprecedented initiatives substantially restricting or entirely prohibiting the collective bargaining rights of public-sector employees, including public-school teachers.
Which states do not have the 3 strike law? ›Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are the only states in the United States to date that have "two strikes" laws for the most serious violent crimes, such as murder, rape, serious cases of robbery, etc.
Which state has the most employee friendly laws? ›The data published is based on laws and policies in effect as recent as July 2022. Oregon took the top spot as the best state to work in the U.S for the second straight year. The state received high marks for its policies to improve workplace conditions and ensure workers the right to form unions.
What is the largest union in the US today? ›The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States.
Why are some workers not allowed to strike? ›A strike may be unlawful because an object, or purpose, of the strike is unlawful. A strike in support of a union unfair labor practice, or one that would cause an employer to commit an unfair labor practice, may be a strike for an unlawful object.
What are the disadvantages of a strike for employees? ›EFFECTS ON EMPLOYEES
Striking Employees that belong to a union are under obligation to strike when the union determines. They could be at risk of losing not only wages but benefits such as medical aid insurance, sick and holiday pay if the strike drags on for an extended period of time.
This is a clear indication that strikes are more likely to reduce the production of an organization, as well as result in a firm losing customers. On the other, one of the consequences of strikes on employees is that they may lose their remuneration.
What percentage of strikes are successful? ›Close to one-half of all strikes were successful, while 40 percent were failures. Perhaps surprisingly, only a small fraction of strikes were coded as partially successful.
Is the BC liquor Distribution strike over? ›The British Columbia General Employees Union (BCGEU) reached a tentative agreement with the employer of liquor store and distribution employees Wednesday. The agreement follows a two-week strike that choked BC's supply of liquor and cannabis.
Is UC Berkeley still on strike? ›
...
| 2022 University of California academic workers' strike | |
|---|---|
| Date | November 14, 2022 - December 23, 2022 |
The B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU) went on strike at liquor distribution sites in August amid ongoing negotiations with the province over a new contract. The job action was suspended to allow for negotiations which resulted in a deal that has not yet been ratified by members.
Is the CWU strike Cancelled? ›Royal Mail said in a statement: “We welcome the fact that the strike action has been called off. It will be a relief to our customers and we intend to use this time and space for further discussions to try to agree a deal.”
How much does the B.C. government pay for strikes? ›I'm worried I can't afford to forgo my pay-cheque. Current basic strike pay for full-time workers is $500 a week or 70% of gross pay, whichever is less. Strike pay for workers scheduled to work part-time or on irregular shift schedules is according to a formula set by your elected Provincial Executive.
Are BC Liquor Stores run by the government? ›The BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB) is the governmental body responsible for distributing alcohol and cannabis products in the province of British Columbia, Canada. The BCLDB operates under the Ministry of Finance and was established in 1921.
Is B.C. liquor government owned? ›Overview. The Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is one of two branches of Government responsible for the wholesale distribution and retail sale of beverage alcohol and non-medical cannabis.
Is Berkeley the hardest UC to get into? ›The odds of getting into the UC system can drastically differ depending on which campuses a student applies to. UCLA and Berkeley are the most competitive campuses, with just 10% and 17% of California applicants, respectively, admitted to each in 2021.
Is UC Berkeley in decline? ›There were 9,073 students enrolled in October 2022, down from 9,177 in October 2021. Enrollment has trended downward on average 1.8% per year for the last eight years. The number of students fell from a peak of 10,462 in 2015 and began a steeper decline in 2019 that was exacerbated by the pandemic.
Is Berkeley on a fault? ›SECTION I: THE HAYWARD FAULT AT UC-BERKELEY
The Hayward fault is located along the topographic interface between the gently sloping plain and the hills (Fig. 1), and poses a significant ground-rupture and seismic shaking hazard to the UC-Berkeley campus (Fig. 2).
You can return any product purchased at a BCLIQUOR store with a valid receipt or gift receipt to any BCLIQUOR store.
Are CWU members taking strike action? ›
The CWU has formally notified Royal Mail they plan to call on their members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take 24 hours of national strike action from 1230hrs on Thursday 16 February until 1230hrs Friday 17 February 2023.
What date is the next postal strike? ›The next postal strike is planned for Wednesday, 31st August 2022.
What are CWU striking for? ›CWU – Post Office industrial dispute summary
Around 1,400 CWU members working for the Post Office have been in dispute over pay since the spring of 2022 and have taken strike action and action short of a strike (ASOS) on numerous occasions.