Media Release: Lawyers, paralegals and officers at the Law Society of BC have voted to strike
January 30, 2025 (Victoria) – Members of the Professional Employees Association (PEA) working at the Law Society of BC have voted 93% in favour of job action, with 91% of members participating in the vote. There are currently over 50 lawyers and 30 paralegals and officers who work at the Law Society, the regulatory body responsible for overseeing the legal profession in the province.
The PEA and Law Society have been bargaining since November 4, 2024; however, mediated talks broke down and the parties reached impasse on January 23, 2025, after the Law Society inadequately addressed compensation, and did not accept the existing terms of the collective agreement for paralegals and officers who recently joined the union.
“The Law Society has been reluctant to engage with the union throughout the bargaining process on any of our substantive issues,” said Brett Harper, Senior Labour Relations Officer and lead negotiator for the PEA. “This strike vote result shows that our members are serious and ready to take action to achieve their bargaining demands.”
Harper also shared that paralegals are now officially included in BC’s Legal Professions Act, which was enacted last year, creating a single unified regulator of lawyers, notaries and paralegals. The Law Society is the regulator who will govern all three professions yet will not give its own in-house paralegals the same rights as the rest of the bargaining unit.
“This is a glaring contradiction and a direct affront to the principle of fairness within the workplace,” Harper said. “The Law Society is set to become the regulator of the entire legal profession in BC, yet it refuses to apply the same standards to its own employees. We are fighting for a fair and just contract that addresses the needs of every member of the bargaining unit.”
The union remains committed to the bargaining process once the Law Society meaningfully addresses PEA member issues.
About the PEA
The Professional Employees Association has been the labour union for professionals for over 50 years. The union was first formed to represent Government Licensed Professionals employed in the BC public service, and has grown to represent workers in the education, legal, union and health care sectors.
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Media Contact:
Jordana Whetter, Communications Director
jwhetter@pea.org
Phone: 250-385-8791 ext. 210
