The B.C. government and the B.C. General Employees Union came to an agreement on Sunday morning after eight days of talks with mediators.
“The way that this dispute was handled showed that collective bargaining works and it’s a way to get the parties to work through these tough issues that they don’t necessarily, that they’re far apart on,” Barry Eidlin, a professor at McGill University, said.
“And it shows that, you know, you do need some compulsion.”
The four-year deal includes a three per cent wage increase each year, plus improved benefits and stronger job protections.
It also puts job action on pause after eight weeks of picketing at liquor stores and other government-run agencies. Thousands of members still need to review and vote on the agreement, which is expected to happen next week.
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Possible impact of BCGEU deal
“What’s important about this deal is that it addresses the affordability concerns of our membership and I think working people in B.C., but it also sets, I think, a very clear precedent to address those concerns across the broader public sector,” Paul Finch, president of the BCGEU said.
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While pickets have come down at government liquor stores and distribution warehouses, it will be a race to get alcohol shipped back to restaurants and bars where products have essentially started to run dry.
“It’s about 800,000 cases of product that has to move,” Ian Tostenson, president and CEO of the B.C. Restaurant Association said.
“Last time this happened, it took on a two-week strike about three months to restore it. We put a goal out for — collectively — for us to do this in three weeks because time is ticking, Christmas is coming, New Year’s is coming.”
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Labour experts say other public sector unions will be looking at this deal as a template for their own negotiations.
“I’m not sure if it’s going to set off a new wave of strikes in the public sector, but it’s certainly gonna set a pattern in terms of a wage floor,” Eidlin said.
B.C. Premier David Eby said he knows this was a challenging strike for many, especially those in the hospitality sector.
“Restaurants have really felt the impact of the strike, many British Columbians trying to get business done and certainly provincially as we work to advance our agenda of growing our economy here and delivering high-quality public services,” he said.
“We can’t do that without government workers. So I’m very glad that we’ve reached a tentative agreement. I understand that the members will be voting on that soon and out of respect for the vote that members will be undertaking. I’m going to keep my comments at expressing gratitude for the work around the table to reach this tentative deal.”
The Professional Employees Association has been rallying alongside the BCGEU, but it’s also taking down its own picket lines as its negotiations continue.
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