PEA-LABC Bargaining Update: Public Sector Employers’ Council

Dear PEA members,

After speaking with your LABC bargaining committee and Labour Relations Officer about the situation at your bargaining table, I want to provide some context about what has been happening across the province for workers covered by the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) mandate. Your LABC chapter, along with our members in the Government Licensed Professionals Chapter, Health Science Professionals Chapter, Family Maintenance Agency Chapter and University of Victoria Chapter, are all under PSEC.

You’ll recall that BC Government has offered some workers the “enhanced mandate,” while offering others much less over a four year collective agreement, called (the “mandate”). Though LABC negotiations started in the fall, to date, the LABC chapter has not been offered the enhanced mandate. Negotiations broke off as we waited to see what the monetary offer from the Employer would be as the Government Licensed Professionals (GLP) Chapter of the PEA, alongside the BCGEU, were on strike and poised to settle.

To date, no trade union in the BC Federation of Labour (BCFED) has signed an agreement for less than the enhanced mandate. The PEA is part of the BCFED and has been in active conversations with unions across the province over the past year.

After an eight-week strike and more than ten months of bargaining, the GLP Chapter ratified their collective agreement in March 2026 for the enhanced mandate. Health science professionals, bargaining through the Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association, reached an agreement in February 2026. Members at the University of Victoria are currently bargaining and have been told they will receive the enhanced mandate along with other unions on campus.

These collective agreements send an important message: strength is found in standing strong. Employers do not move because they are asked politely. They move when workers are united, determined, and prepared to use the strength of their collective power.

That is why PEA chapters covered by the PSEC mandate will continue to push for the enhanced mandate and may job take action up to and including strike action if necessary. The PEA fully supports the LABC chapter if it must resort to strike action to achieve a fair agreement.

Please continue to stay engaged, support your bargaining team, and stand with one another. We are with you.

In solidarity,

Melissa Moroz
Executive Director