Government Licensed Professionals from the BC public service have voted to strike
Publish date: Wednesday, June 22, 2022 news
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.
Learn more about the work of Government Licensed Professionals: www.glpbargaining.ca
About the PEA
The Professional Employees Association is a labour union for professional employees. The union was formed in 1974 to represent the Government Licensed Professionals employed in the BC Public Service and has since grown to represent professionals in the education, legal, union and health care sectors.
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Media Contact:
Jordana Whetter, Senior Communications Officer
jwhetter@pea.org
Phone: 250-385-8791 ext. 210
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.
