Celebrating Our 50th Anniversary

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Dear PEA members,

Join us on a trip down memory lane as we look back to the beginning of the PEA and some key milestones:

  • February 18, 1974: The BC Government Professional Employees Association (BCGPEA, later renamed PEA) came into being at a meeting in Victoria’s Empress Hotel, representing licensed professionals employed in BC’s public service.
  • May 3, 1974: We received formal certification from the BC Labour Relations Board. The union was comprised of licensed professionals in the BC public service, now our GLP Chapter.
  • May 14, 1975: We finally reached an agreement on the association’s first Master Agreement, ratified in June 1975, with 96 percent of members voting in favour.

We are grateful to our first members, whose commitment to organizing and advocacy for two decades made us the union of choice for BC professionals.

To celebrate our 50th anniversary, we have updated Duty with Dignity to include the last ten years of our history. Many thanks to labour historian Ben Isitt for his work in writing this book and combing through our archives. Read Duty with Dignity, the revised 50th Anniversary Edition HERE.

If you’d like something more condensed, we’ve also produced a shortened version of our history through this video.

In the last 50 years, we have seen this continued commitment of our membership through countless bargaining tables, campaigns, lobbying for member rights, grievances and arbitrations, and acts of solidarity, big and small. Through it all, we have been strong because of you.

Thank you, and happy 50th anniversary.

Shawna LaRade
PEA President

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