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GLP — Government Licensed Professionals

Our Government Licensed Professionals bargaining unit is the PEA's first, organized in 1974.

More than 1,200 PEA members work for numerous ministries and agencies across British Columbia in the direct employ of the provincial government. Government Licensed Professionals include foresters, engineers, agrologists, geoscientists, psychologists, and others.

At Your Fingertips

Your Collective Agreement

Find your collective agreement and other relevant documents.

Your Local Rep or LRO

Find support from your workplace local rep or staff rep.

Know Your Contract

FAQ and guidance documents to understand your collective agreement.

Bargaining

Information on the collective bargaining process (requires member login).

Annual General Meeting

Information and documents relating to the GLP AGM held each fall.

News and Updates

News and updates for GLP and OGC members.

GLP Grants & Donations

Apply for a grant or donation to support an event or cause for you and your co-workers.

Professional Reliance

Our fight for more effective professional reliance and enhanced scientific integrity in government.

GLP Executive & Constitution

GLP Executive

Sam Davis, Forester, Chair, 250-398-4416

Frank Kohlberger, Forester, Vice-Chair, 250-371-6557

Edmond Margawang, Pharmacist, Secretary-Treasurer, 250-952-3342

Christine Bieber, Geoscientist, 778-698-4013

Elizabeth Hunt, Forester, 250-784-1237

Sabiha Sultana, Engineer, 250-828-4315

Patricia Wilson, Psychologist, 604-951-5889

Download a PDF copy of the GLP Constitution

ARTICLE I — Name

The name of the organization shall be the Government Licensed Professionals Chapter (GLPC) of the Professional Employees Association.

ARTICLE IV — Executive Committee

The Executive of the GLPC shall consist of seven members, elected biennially in odd-numbered years by a secret ballot of the entire chapter membership. The Chapter Executive shall appoint from among its members a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Secretary-Treasurer.

The Chapter Executive shall appoint by motion the GLPC members of the Association Executive from among the members of the Chapter Executive. The GLPC entitlement to Association Executive members shall be as set out in the PEA Constitution and By-laws.

The Chairperson shall preside over Chapter Executive meetings and, in his/her absence, the Vice-Chairperson shall preside.

A quorum of the Chapter Executive shall be four members, and shall have the authority to take such measures in carrying out GLPC objectives as are consistent with this Constitution and the Constitution of the Professional Employees Association.

Should a vacancy occur in the Chapter Executive, the remaining members may appoint a replacement from the GLPC membership for the remainder of the instant term of office.

Except as herein provided, Chapter Executive meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.

ARTICLE VII — Meetings

There shall be a Chapter Annual General Meeting in October, November or December.

Other general meetings may be called by the Chapter Executive.

The quorum for chapter meetings shall be five per cent (5%) of the chapter members.

When at least five per cent of GLPC members request in writing that a special general meeting be called, it shall take place within one calendar month of the request being received by the Chapter Executive.

Except as herein provided, GLPC meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.

ARTICLE II — Objectives

Government Licensed Professionals Chapter Objectives are:

To represent government licensed professionals in the activities of the Professional Employees Association and in relations with the Association Executive and other recognized chapters.
To promote and pursue continuous improvement in the terms of employment and working conditions of government licensed professionals.
To provide a forum for discussion by government licensed professionals of collective bargaining issues, salaries, benefits, employment conditions, and other employment-related matters.
To assist the Professional Employees Association in negotiating collective agreements covering members of the GLPC. To carry out other functions consistent with this Constitution and the Constitution of the Professional Employees Association as may be desirable for the good and welfare of GLPC members.

ARTICLE V — Executive Elections

The Chapter Executive shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of at least three GLPC members not later than 90 days prior to the Chapter Annual General Meeting in odd-numbered years.

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of candidates who have signified that they are willing to stand for Chapter Executive office. Nominations may be put forward to the Nominating Committee by any member of the GLPC. Any member who is nominated by three GLPC members may stand for election to the Chapter Executive.

The Nominating Committee shall put the list of candidates who have agreed to stand for election to the general membership for their vote. Ballots shall be delivered to each member or mailed to his/her last known address not later than 60 days prior to the Chapter Annual General Meeting. The date by which the ballot is to be returned shall precede the Chapter Annual General Meeting. The seven candidates with the greatest number of votes shall be elected to the Chapter Executive. Newly elected members of the Executive shall assume office at the close of the Chapter Annual General Meeting in odd-numbered years.

ARTICLE VIII — Notice of Meetings

Notice of the Chapter Annual General Meeting shall be delivered to each member or mailed to his/her last known address not less than thirty (30) days before the meeting is to be held. A notice of meeting other than the Chapter Annual General Meeting shall be delivered to each member or mailed to his/her last known address not less than seven (7) days before the meeting is to be held.

Notice of meeting shall state the business to be transacted at the meeting.

ARTICLE III — Membership

Membership shall be open to all employees who are members of the government licensed professional bargaining unit for whom the Professional Employees Association is certified as bargaining agent.

ARTICLE VI — Election of Delegates to Convention

The GLPC entitlement to convention delegates shall be as per Article III of the PEA Constitution and By-laws.

The Chapter Executive shall be entitled to attend Convention as chapter delegates as of right.

The GLPC's remaining delegate entitlement shall be allocated to regions on the basis of proportional representation as defined by chapter policy.

The Chapter Executive shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of at least three GLPC members not later than 120 days prior to the Convention.

The Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of candidates who have signified that they are willing to stand for election as convention delegates. Nominations may be put forward to the Nominating Committee by any member of the GLPC.

Delegates from each region shall be elected by chapter members within each region. The Nominating Committee shall put the list of candidates who have agreed to stand for election in each region to the general membership of that region for their vote. Ballots shall be delivered to each member or mailed to his/her last known address not later than 100 days prior to the Convention. The date by which the ballot is to be returned shall precede the Convention by no fewer than 70 days. If a region fails to elect the number of delegates to which it is entitled, the Chapter Executive Committee shall appoint delegate(s) from a pool of members nominated but not elected as delegates in other regions, taking into account representation by profession.

ARTICLE IX — Adoption and Amendment of the Constitution

This Constitution shall come into effect when approved by a majority of votes cast in a secret ballot of the entire chapter membership. The Constitution shall be amended where a proposed amendment is approved by a two-thirds majority of votes cast in a secret ballot.

In this section

The PEA was formed in 1974, by a group of professionals working in the public sector. The story goes that the founders of the union mortgaged their houses to fund negotiations of the union’s first collective agreement.

Now, the PEA is BC’s union for professionals. We represent a wide range of professionals including lawyers, foresters, engineers, agrologists, teachers, veterinarians, fundraisers, physiotherapists, pharmacists, psychologists program managers, librarians and more.

Our union is led by the PEA Executive. They represent members from across the chapters of the PEA and set the overall vision and direction for our union.

Resources for our members

Navigating a union can sometime be a challenging process. Under this section of the website you will find resources to help you navigate the PEA. In the members section you'll find expense claim reimbursements, information on the PEA's scholarship and bursary program and our grants and donations program.

Collective bargaining and job action resources explain the process of collective bargaining and what to do in the unlikely event of job action.

Local reps can also find resources to help them complete their job more effectively. This includes ways to welcome new members, how to take notes in investigation disciplinary meetings and more.

The heart of our union

The PEA is made up of nine chapters, or groups of members who either work for the same employer or are in the same field of work. Each chapter has an elected executive tasked with running the affairs of the chapter. Each chapter is entitled to representation at the PEA Executive, the governing body of the union.

Our members work for a range of employers: the Province of BC, the University of Victoria, St. Margaret's School, the Family Maintenance Enforcement Program, the Oil and Gas Commission, the Law Society of BC, Legal Services Society, the Okangan Regional Library and health authorities across BC.

Professionals need unions now more then ever

Since the 1970’s, when the PEA was formed, our mission has been to ensure our members can work in safe, productive environments and receive fair and reasonable wages and benefits for the valuable work they do. We help individuals and groups of professional workers to understand the challenges they face in their workplaces and some of the solutions available to them.

We work with potential members to become certified as a union and achieve the wages, benefits and respect they deserve.

The Professional | Volume 46 Issue 1

The Professional is the PEA's award-winning, quarterly magazine for members.

The January-February 2020 issue includes a Vancouver Sun op/ed piece from PEA Executive Director Scott McCannell on the Legal Services Society strike.

Read the January-February 2020 issue

The PEA was formed in 1974 to represent licensed professionals in the BC Public Service. Since then the organization has grown to include a wide range of professionals from across BC. Find our more about our governance, staff and strategic direction.