Message From the PEA President: BC Wildfires
Publish date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023 news
Dear PEA members,
This last week has been a sombre time for the province and if you or your family and friends have been impacted by the wildfires that have destroyed so many communities, my heart goes out to you.
I have family who have lost much of their farm and livelihood in the Adams Lake fire and know of other PEA members with similar stories. It’s devastating and there are no words that can help heal this loss, which has impacted so many communities, people, homes, livelihoods, and animals.
Please know that the PEA will be donating in support of the wildfire recovery, and we are here for you if you’ve been displaced from your home and need support navigating leave from work.
My thanks as well to my colleagues in the Government Licensed Professionals chapter and the BCGEU who have joined the emergency wildfire response efforts. Choosing to respond to these types of emergencies is a challenging decision for our GLP members. For many years the PEA has been a consistent voice for fair compensation for professionals who work in response to emergencies. This is an issue that the PEA will continue to fight to change.
Please stay safe and take care.
Shawna LaRade
PEA President
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.
