(With files by Brendan Pawliw-MyPGNow)
Effective immediately, the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) has declared a ban on non-emergency overtime for its members working in the B.C. public service.
The overtime ban will not apply to members employed in BC Wildfire Service for the duration of the current wildfire season.
“BC’s public service has been reliant on our members’ overtime for far too long and dealing with the systemic issues behind that reliance is part of what we’re trying to achieve in this round of bargaining,” said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president and chair of the union’s public service bargaining committee.
“In this job action our members are the vanguard of the broader public sector in our province. We hope this escalation gives government the incentive they need to invite us back to the bargaining table and negotiate a deal that will ensure robust, sustainable public services for our province and a fair deal for BCGEU members and all public sector workers.”
In addition to the overtime ban, targeted job action at BC Liquor Distribution Branch and wholesale centres in Delta, Richmond, Victoria and Kamloops will remain in effect.
The bargaining committee represents 33,000 BCGEU members, including 520 in the Cariboo. (289 in Williams Lake, 179 in Quesnel and 52 in 100 Mile House)