August 29 Press Conference: PEA Executive Director Speech

Good afternoon everyone and thank you to the BCGEU for having us here at their headquarters on the unceded and shared traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. 

Today, I’m announcing that the Government Licensed Professionals — the engineers, foresters, geoscientists, psychologists, and other experts who keep this province running — have voted in favour of striking. We also will be issuing 72-hour strike notice this afternoon, which means job action could begin as soon as Tuesday, September 2. 

Over 1,800 licensed professionals work across the province in critical roles. These are the engineers who ensure bridges and dams are structurally sound, the geoscientists who assess landslides and flood risks, and the psychologists who support vulnerable children and families. These professionals guide land use, protect water and forests, oversee and regulate natural resource and other nation-building projects, and uphold public safety.  But despite the importance of their work, wages in the public service have fallen so far behind that the government can’t recruit or retain the experts it needs. 

We’ve all seen what happens when the government chooses the wrong approach. We’ve seen bloated excluded management structures. We’ve seen work contracted out to the private sector, often at a higher cost and with less accountability. And we know these aren’t real solutions. 

But there are real solutions. And they come from investing in professionals in the public service. This is the opportunity, right now, for the government to get it right. To put resources where they make a real difference, in the hands of the people who do the work. 

We’ve also heard the government’s own messaging about protecting resources, protecting communities, and building a strong public service. These are priorities we can absolutely get behind.  

But here’s the truth: without professionals you can’t speed up work like mining permits and environmental assessments that keep British Columbia competitive and prosperous while protecting our vast nature. You can’t expedite the review and construction of the infrastructure our communities need to grow. You can’t deliver on the commitments businesses and people are counting on without licensed professionals who do the work every day.  

This strike vote sends a clear message: enough is enough. Our members are asking for fair, competitive wages that reflect the value of their work. Wages that will keep knowledgeable experts in their jobs instead of moving to other Employers where the pay is fair. They are asking for full professional fee coverage, and for fair compensation when they are called in to respond to provincial emergencies. These are reasonable, urgent priorities. 

This fight is not ours alone. 

We stand in solidarity with the BCGEU. Our two unions share the same pension plan, the same extended health and disability benefits, and our collective agreements are linked in other ways as well. What the BCGEU achieves at the bargaining table directly affects PEA members. Your fight is our fight. 

We made a strategic decision a year ago that we would stand beside the BCGEU. If you serve 72 hours strike notice, we will serve 72 hours strike notice as well. Coordinated action makes us stronger. It demonstrates to the government that public sector workers are united. 

We remember the sacrifices that BCGEU members made at the Liquor Distribution Branch during the last round of bargaining. Their resolve led to improvements for all of us. But we also know those gains didn’t go far enough — especially for the lowest-paid workers.  

So today we are sending a united message to the BC Government: it’s time to step up. It’s time to invest in the public service.  

Thank you.