Government Licensed Professionals from the BC public service have voted to strike

From professional oversight to emergency response, professionals employed in the public service are critical to the work of the BC government.
June 22, 2022 (Victoria) – The Government Licensed Professionals (GLP) who work for the BC public service have voted 92% in favour of a strike. There are currently over 1,200 licensed professionals working across 11 ministries in vital roles as agrologists, engineers, foresters, geoscientists, pharmacists, psychologists, veterinarians and more.
The Professional Employees Association (PEA), the union representing the GLP, entered bargaining with the Public Service Agency on April 11 but quickly reached impasse on May 16 when wage proposals were tabled that failed to address the rising cost of living.
“Our members are the scientific experts relied on to keep the province safe and they deserve wages that reflect the critical work they do,” said Melissa Moroz, Labour Relations Officer with the PEA. “This strike vote result shows that these professionals are willing to take action to back up their demands for reasonable compensation. They aren’t willing to take a pay cut.”
Government licensed professionals provide knowledgeable oversight of forestry, mining, and fossil fuels, but also BC’s infrastructure, forests, and farms. During the devastating wildfire and flooding of 2021, they were a critical part of the emergency response, rebuilding bridges and roads, forecasting flooding impacts, joining wildfire response teams, and helping farmers evacuate.
“The BC government already faces significant recruitment and retention issues and failing to provide fair wages that address inflation will make these issues more acute, which will impact the services British Columbians count on,” says Moroz. “With climate change and emergencies an ever-present reality, now is the time for the province to invest in public service professionals.”
The PEA will begin planning job action but remains committed to getting back to the table once the government provides a meaningful offer that recognizes the value of workers in the public service. Essential services are currently being negotiated.
Inadequate professional capacity in the BC government
In the early 2000s, the BC government sought to aggressively reduce the amount of regulation within government. They set a goal of a one-third reduction of regulation, and alongside that, drastically reduced the number of professionals within the public service. In the resource sector, BC government professionals were reduced by approximately 25%. Across the BC public service, the number of scientific professionals dropped significantly – from 1500 in 2001, to just over 1200 in 2020, despite the province’s growth over the same period from 4 million to 5.15 million residents. This corresponds to a change from 1 BC government professional for every 2,700 BC residents in 2000 to 1 for every 4,100 in 2020.
Issues with staffing levels within BC Ministries are exacerbated by ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified professionals in the BC public service. Key drivers of these challenges include:
- Compensation – When compared with public service jobs at the municipal and federal level, as well as many other provinces and private sector jobs in BC, BC public service professionals are compensated less. PEA members frequently cite this as a reason for their departure from the BC public service.
- Burnout – PEA members report high rates of concern with their ability to meet the mandate of their ministries. This leads to stress and burnout. This burnout is further exacerbated by the conditions faced by members involved in emergency response, as discussed below.
- Position vacancies – Without compensation structures like career laddering in place to allow for career development and progression, PEA members are forced to leave the public service to further their career growth.