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bcgeu strike: ndp, unions are usually friends. why that's different now
unions helped elect the ndp and often get good contracts. but that may change since the public sector and the deficit have both ballooned in b.c.
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bcgeu members on the picket line at an icbc office in surrey on sept. 2, 2025.
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the b.c. ndp is in a financial standoff with its longtime labour allies as it tries to rein in government spending, while facing demands from unions for wage increases to address an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
but finance minister brenda bailey denies her government has fallen into a hole it dug for itself.
“i think there’s room for an agreement to be struck here, and it’s important that that agreement is beneficial to all british columbians. and i say that in the context of us having to be responsible for the government first, in the context of serious, serious global economic challenges,” bailey said tuesday.
earlier in the day, 2,000 members of the b.c. general employees’ union walked picket lines at nine locations in victoria, surrey and prince george after voting overwhelmingly last week in favour of strike action.
the bcgeu is one of several public-sector unions with expired contracts, and the start of its job action signals a potentially rocky road for government negotiators this fall.
under the ndp, the size of the public service has ballooned and their salaries have contributed to the rising deficit, according to data from postmedia’s 2025 public sector salaries database.
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unions, which have traditionally been political supporters of the ndp, argue new government hires are disproportionately better-paid, non-unionized workers. they insist their members need a cost-of-living increase or they can’t afford to keep working in this province.
the bcgeu, with 34,000 civil servants including social workers, wildfire fighters and correctional staff, has asked for a four per cent raise while the government has offered roughly half that amount, said union president paul finch.
he would not reveal whether job action would escalate this week, but said that could happen “if government does not come to the table with an enhanced bargaining offer that reflects the affordability crisis.”
bcgeu members on the picket line at an icbc office in surrey on sept. 2, 2025.
arlen redekop
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bailey said she respects the union’s right to strike, and added that representatives from both sides were in talks tuesday afternoon “about getting back to the table.” she declined to elaborate.
she believes a new collective agreement can be reached, but it must adhere to the government’s priority to find “operational efficiencies” at a time when a global trade war has rocked balance sheets.
“i think all over the world, budgets are in a tough spot,” she added.
finch, though, said the union won’t blink in its demand for raises, noting half his members say their bills are rising faster than their pay, and one-quarter are working extra jobs to make ends meet.
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“we’re not backing down here. in fact, we’re only going to expand our job action if government doesn’t come to the table,” he said. “we’re hitting a breaking point.”
labour expert john-henry harter said the government’s offer just covers the 2025 inflation rate of roughly two per cent, so the union’s request for four per cent gives the workers a modest raise at a time when everything is more expensive.
“in the lower mainland, anyone who works for government … is seeing real wages decrease because of that surge of inflation,” said harter, a lecturer in history and labour studies at simon fraser university.
harter argues the ndp should boost taxes to finance collective agreements, noting the party “garners a lot of support from average working british columbians, particularly unionized workers.”
asha the dog hangs out on the bcgeu picket line at an icbc office in surrey on sept. 2, 2025.
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when asked to predict the outcome of this contract impasse, harter said he was hopeful “the ndp comes to its senses and pays workers what they deserve.” if that doesn’t happen, he warned that air canada flight attendants have “laid a template” for negotiations — walk off the job and refuse to come back until a new offer is on the table.
contracts for 400,000 government employees expire in 2025, and the leaders of many unions representing those workers walked the picket lines in solidarity with the bcgeu on tuesday.
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b.c. nurses’ union president adriane gear, who attended a rally in victoria, said some of the elements of the contract the bcgeu is trying to negotiate could provide a partial road map for bcnu’s negotiations this year.
“we have worked well with this government on some things, for example the minimum nurse-to-patient ratio … but i’m disappointed in terms of where we’re at with health and safety,” gear said.
nurses will not cross bcgeu picket lines, if they are expanded to health care-related sites, she added.
b.c. teachers’ federation president carole gordon, who walked a picket line in surrey on tuesday, argued this is a crucial time for government to support civil servants who provide social safety nets for vulnerable citizens who are often the hardest hit by economic uncertainty.
“so this is the time to invest. it’s not the time to step away,” argued gordon, whose federation is at the bargaining table next week.
when asked about the possibility of the bcgeu’s job action expanding and cancelling public services, bailey said the labour relations board is identifying essential positions that will be required to continue working.
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