VANCOUVER, British Columbia — More than 1,600 members of the Professional Employees Association across the province have now joined striking BC Government Employees’ Union members on the picket line Oct. 16, bringing the total number of strikers to almost 25,000.
BCGEU members include firefighters, liquor store workers, biologists and all kinds of other government workers. They began escalating strike action Sept. 2 and are now in their eighth week on the picket line.
As this Militant worker-correspondent joined the line Oct. 16, morale was high. Strikers explained their central demand was for a 4% wage increase each year of a two-year contract, while the government is offering half that. The union says one in five union members have to work a second job to get by today.
Thousands of members of the government employees union rallied in support of the strike here Oct. 1 and in Victoria Oct. 6, joined by supporters from many other unions.
“Yesterday, Canadian Union of Public Employees National President Mark Hancock, the one who ripped up the government back-to-work order, was here with BCGEU President Paul Finch,” picket captain Sarah Hay said. She was referring to Ottawa’s attempt to force 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants, organized by CUPE, back to work in August by declaring their strike illegal. At a big strike support rally in Toronto, Hancock tore up the order, defying the government, and the flight attendants continued their strike.
Four Saskatchewan Government Employees’ Union members were on the line, having taken a four-day trip to bring solidarity and to learn about how the fight is organized, said Merv Baniff, second vice president of the union negotiating committee.
While the workers remain on strike, the union accepted a government offer for nonbinding mediation. Any tentative contract reached will have to be approved by the union’s membership.
Nearly 600,000 people work government-related jobs in British Columbia, the union says, meaning the results of this battle will set the bar for many other unionists whose contracts are up soon.
Barb Lee, a day care worker and BC Government Employees’ Union member who is not part of the current strike, is looking to the results. When I met her on her doorstep, she said, “I hope they win. No one can afford anything these days.”
Picket lines are up at more than 470 locations across the province. Drop by!