Workers set to strike against BCGEU

The CEP issued the following news release this morning:


Workers set to strike against BCGEU

For immediate release February 17, 2005

Vancouver – About 120 employees of the B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union are planning to begin strike action against the union at 2 pm tomorrow.

“The BCGEU has refused to budge from a wage offer of 0% in the first two years and 2% in the third,” says Randy Pearson, President of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 467.

“That’s the kind of wage controls the Campbell government has imposed on BCGEU members who have been forced to strike at community colleges and B.C. Place. Now the BCGEU is treating its own employees exactly the same way,” he said.

Talks for a new collective agreement began in October, 2004. A last ditch attempt to reach a settlement with the help of mediator Mark Brown collapsed yesterday at the Labour Relations Board. The workers earlier voted 98% in favour of strike action, if necessary, to oppose the 0% wage freeze and concessions sought by the BCGEU.

“After six months of talks, an overwhelming strike vote, and three days of mediation, the BCGEU refuses to budge from its 0% wage mandate. They have told us that any wage increase will have to be paid for through concessions in other parts of our contract. It is painfully ironic that the BCGEU is trying to impose on its own employees every bad idea that the Campbell government is trying to impose on BCGEU members,” said Pearson.

The BCGEU employees who will be taking strike action include area staff representatives; administrative representatives responsible for information technology, human resources, conventions, law library services, properties and facilities; negotiators, staff lawyers, organizers, researchers, communications officers and financial managers; as well as specialists in pensions, classifications, job evaluation, occupational health and safety, benefits and workers compensation, member education and aboriginal liaison.

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union represents 150,000 members from coast to coast, including 12,000 members in British Columbia.

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For more information contact:
Karen Cooling, CEP, 604 682-6501
Randy Pearson, President, 250 658-2585